


a dance beneath the moonlight

by moon__goddess



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Alternate Universe - Vampire, M/M, Sexual Tension, adventures in pirating, aka..... VAMPIRATES, all the cameos, like... so much sexual tension, slight angst, yixing has a dragon tattoo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-01-23 20:16:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 28,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21326056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moon__goddess/pseuds/moon__goddess
Summary: Attraction is an incredibly strong force.  So strong, in fact, that it leads to the meeting of a righteous pirate lord always craving adventure and a prince who just wants to be free at a party hosted by the king of the vampire elite, which in turn leads to... well, quite a lot.written forEXO MonsterFest 2019 Prompt L115
Relationships: Kim Jongdae | Chen/Zhang Yi Xing | Lay
Comments: 12
Kudos: 49
Collections: EXO MONSTERFEST 2019





	1. i

**Author's Note:**

> i hope the prompter sees this since it's an old prompt but i just could NOT turn down vampire pirates!!!! two of the best aus smushed into one!!!!!! i hope you enjoy~

The entire thing was Baekhyun’s fault.

To be fair, everything was usually Baekhyun’s fault, but it was especially prominent this time.

Although, Jongdae mused to himself as he slid through a group of extremely wealthy vamps, deft fingers pocketing a couple of jeweled brooches, it could be said that it was partially his fault as well, for agreeing to the bet in the first place. But he’d only agreed because he was drunk on the alcohol his best friend had plied him with, so, really, everything _ was _, in fact, entirely Baekhyun’s fault.

So here he was, pretending to be someone wealthy and of high status, slipping between more members of the vampire elite than he’d ever seen in one place. Minseok and Kyungsoo were lurking somewhere outside in case he needed extraction, but he was confident that he wouldn’t. Besides, if he called them in, it meant that he would lose the bet.

And Kim Jongdae, also known as Chen, captain of the dread ship _ Thunderstorm _, never lost.

However, he had, in fact, just lost sight of his target, a elegantly-dressed vampire barely an inch taller than him. He sighed. Most of the vampires here were taller than him, an unfortunate circumstance on which he blamed his mortal parents, so in order to spot the vampire again, he needed some higher ground. He scanned the room in the pretense of looking for someone, snagging a glass of some fancy blood cocktail off the tray of a passing servant, and his eyes caught on a small balcony on the second floor that overlooked the room. Standing on that balcony would give him an excellent view.

He downed his cocktail (surprisingly good, he thought, and the blood gave him the jolt of energy he was needing) and smiled. He’d noticed a stairwell close to the entrance when he’d walked in; that would be the perfect place to start.

*********

Yixing watched the unfamiliar man wind his way through the crowd. Normally, he hated these parties his father held, hated the way he was expected to smile and nod and act the dutiful heir, hated the invisible chains that bound him to this way of life, hated how everything was decided for him with no thought for his wants or needs or even his feelings. But this - the appearance of a beautiful man, a man who was unknown to him, he who had been forced to memorize every member of the local vampire elite and then some since he’d been old enough to read - had given him pause. Maybe his father would loosen his chains if he brought him an intruder, be proud of him for taking initiative, maybe, perhaps, give him a reprieve and let him spend time alone, free to do as he wished.

Even now, at this party, in the house that he _ lived in _, he was not alone. His guard was standing behind him, invisible to everyone but Yixing, as he was always aware of where Zhixiang was. His cousin Han was hovering by the entrance to the balcony, glancing worriedly between Yixing and the room beneath them. And downstairs, hidden by the throngs of people, his other cousin Junmyeon was wandering, officially there to strengthen his network of vampires loyal to them, but unofficially there to catch Yixing if he managed to give Zhixiang the slip. Again.

He sighed and swirled the red liquid in his glass with a finger, carefully tasting the mixture with a flick of his tongue. “It needs more,” he murmured. “Han?”

His cousin sprang to attention. “Hm?” 

Yixing smiled. He could tell he’d been distracted, always watching the dancers instead of paying attention to him. “Will you go down and bring me another bottle?”

He winked, as fast as he could, with his right eye, the eye not facing Zhixiang.

Han’s eyes widened for a split second before he nodded. “It might take a few minutes, but I will.”

“Thank you,” he said, turning back to the party as Han disappeared from the balcony.

He scanned the room again, but the unfamiliar vampire he’d spotted before had vanished. Probably ensconced in a corner with a lady, Yixing thought, only slightly bitterly. He took a sip from his glass and grimaced, the tang of blood drowning out the burn from the alcohol, before he abruptly stood.

“My lord?” Zhixiang said from the shadows, his tone confused.

“I grow tired of sitting here,” Yixing said, giving him a perfunctory glance while his mind whirred. “Come, Father would want me to make an appearance.”

Zhixiang sighed, but he followed as Yixing stretched and then turned toward the entrance to the balcony and the stairs that led to the ballroom beyond.

*********

The stairwell had been a bust, the door at the top leading to a closet of some sorts, and Jongdae (reluctantly) admitted defeat. His prior target had slipped away, but he was surrounded by a couple hundred members of the vampire elite - plenty of new, unsuspecting vamps to rob. He smiled to himself as he scanned the room. The cluster of vamps preening by the band would be a good place to start.

He ducked out from behind the door frame and began to make his way across the room, nimbly weaving between the occasional drunk vampire and multiple servants with trays full of drinks. The scent coming from one of the trays was almost heady, so he swiped a glass and drained half its contents as he continued to head towards the well-dressed group.

Right as he passed yet another servant, the vampires who were dancing in the center of the room parted, as the specific dance called for, and Jongdae looked up and met the gaze of a vampire standing across the room from him. 

He felt his feet stop moving.

The vampire was beautiful.

But then the dancers swept back together, obscuring his view, and by the time they had separated enough for him to see across the room again, the vampire had vanished.

Well.

He blinked and minutely shook himself, refocusing on the task at hand. He had to relieve some elites of their ungainly amount of wealth, not get distracted trying to bed one.

Thankfully, he was close enough to his new group of targets that refocusing was done easily enough, and he sidled closer, leaning against the wall and swirling the remainder of his cocktail in its glass.

"But would you not agree," one of the female vamps was saying as she placed her hand on her companion's shoulder, "that this color looks absolutely ravishing on Yerim?" 

The blonde vamp smiled, seemingly pleased at the compliment, and Jongdae rolled his eyes. He hated small talk. 

One of the males leaned forward, gaze darting between the blonde and the female who'd spoken. "I could never doubt your opinion, Joohyun," he said, "but I do believe the color would look best as an accent rather than as... the main scheme."

The blonde's face turned sour startlingly quickly, and the other female tightened her grip on her shoulder. "Jinho, please," she said, tucking a tendril of dark hair behind her ear, "you would not know style if it smacked you in the face." 

Jongdae smirked. Good for her.

The male huffed. "Just because we have differing opinions does not give you the right to insult me."

"Yes, it does," Jongdae said, seeing an opportunity and easily inserting himself into the conversation, sliding between another pair of vamps and swiping their watches as he did so. "Especially when she is so clearly right."

"And who might you be?" The male looked properly annoyed, which made Jongdae smirk. 

"Someone who appreciates fine beauty when he sees it," he responded, winking at the two women. 

"Go bother someone else, Jinho," the dark-haired one said, looking Jongdae up and down. "You are no longer needed here."

"Do not boss me around," he snapped before shoving past them and melting into the crowd.

Jongdae raised his eyebrows. "Glad he's gone," he said as he took the last sip of his drink. "What a bore."

The blonde snorted, and the dark-haired vamp shot her a look. "What?" she said, almost whining. "He's right."

The dark-haired one sighed. "Go, Yerim," she said, gesturing towards the dancers. "Find Seulgi, I am sure she is exhausted by now."

"Fine." The blonde sulked off, her gorgeous lilac dress floating around her, and the dark-haired one returned her gaze to Jongdae.

"Thank you," she said, her voice low. "For stepping in, although you did not have to. I had it under control."

Jongdae swept her a bow. "Anything for a beautiful lady such as yourself."

"Please." She smiled, extending her hand. "Call me Joohyun, I insist."

He took her hand and pressed a kiss to its back at lightning speed. "Zhongda," he replied, letting his eyelashes flutter against his cheekbones for a moment before he met her eyes. "May I have this dance?"

Joohyun's diamond necklace gleamed at him as she nodded, and so did the bracelet encircling her wrist as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Jongdae noted a sizable gold hairpin in her bun as well as she led him to the middle of the room, and he idly wondered how long he needed to dance in order to safely remove it.

*********

Yixing drained another glass of his blood cocktail, not really caring about how much alcohol he was currently ingesting. His own blood felt like it was still pounding through his veins from earlier (even though that was impossible, his heart hadn’t beaten for more than a few centuries now), when he locked gazes with that unfamiliar vampire and had seen, even just for a moment, the depth and beauty in those eyes. It had shaken him. Shaken him enough that he was now here, at the corner of the bar, downing drink after drink and trying fruitlessly to rid his mind of any thoughts regarding him.

"My lord," Zhixiang muttered from behind him, "you should slow yourself."

"Why?" Yixing asked, raising an eyebrow. "Do you not want a repeat of what happened at Yang's?"

Zhixiang looked slightly ashamed. "I do not."

"That was almost forty years ago." Yixing rolled his eyes, turning back to his empty glass. "I think I can handle myself."

"Handle what?" came Junmyeon's voice. "Also, when did you come downstairs? I have been looking all over for you, since Han said you were here but did not say where."

"Hello, Junmyeon," Yixing mumbled, pouring another shot. "I was upstairs, as Father requested."

Junmyeon hummed in agreement, looking out over the room. "But now you are down here, and you are not even mingling among the guests. What will you do when you are leader, Yixing? Will your imaginary allies lend you strength, ideas, manpower?" He gestured to the bottle of vodka that Han had brought him earlier. "Or will they all come out of that bottle if you rub it hard enough?"

"Enough," Yixing snapped. "Do not patronize me."

Junmyeon shrugged, turning back towards him. "You will need allies, Xing," he said quietly. "I am only trying to make it clear to you how important things like this are."

"And you are doing an absolutely _ wonderful _ job of it." Yixing refilled his glass. "I shall go _ mingle _, to use your word." He nodded stiffly at his cousin. "And do not call me Xing." 

He walked away, Zhixiang at his back, and only when he was deep enough into the crowd that Junmyeon had lost sight of him did he roll his eyes and down his entire cocktail.

Yixing wove his way through the ballroom, nodding and smiling at multiple high-ranking people, only pausing once to make sure Han wasn’t too inebriated when he caught a glimpse of him trying to flirt with a stone-faced brunette. The metal epaulets on his jacket were starting to weigh on his shoulders, and he carefully adjusted them, only wincing slightly when the movement caused the gold belt around his waist to dig into his side.

“My lord?” Zhixiang caught his elbow. “Are you alright?”

Yixing heaved a sigh. “Yes, I am fine.” He gently tugged his arm out from Zhixiang’s grasp. “Just uncomfortable.”

He turned away from his guard, intent on finding the only other person he could consider a friend (he knew Yifan was here somewhere, he just hadn’t spotted him yet) when his gaze landed on a couple dancing in the middle of the room.

The male twirled his partner, facing away from him, and Yixing recognized Bae Joohyun by the stretch of her delicate wrist as she turned out, and then she whirled back and Yixing locked eyes with the unfamiliar vampire from before as he spun and caught Joohyun in his arms. 

The vampire smirked, the corners of his lips curling up and making him look more feline than Yixing had thought possible, and then his hands slid past Joohyun’s waist, up the length of her back, and came to rest on her shoulders, a finger lightly playing with an escaped tendril of hair.

Yixing couldn’t turn away, as much as he wanted to. The other vampire’s eyes were magnetic. Frozen to the spot, he watched as the male dipped Joohyun, his careful hands sliding into her hair to support her head, and then they straightened. Joohyun’s smile was slow, stunning, but then the male smiled back at her - and his smile stole the air from Yixing’s lungs.

Not that he needed it, necessarily, but still. The sight of the male’s smile had hit him like a lightning strike.

The thought of cutting in and stealing his vampire away from Joohyun had barely crossed his mind when a large hand landed on his shoulder, making him startle into a fighting stance, fangs dropped.

“Relax, Xing,” Yifan said as he took a step back, his eyebrows raised. “It is only me.”

“Oh.” Yixing exhaled, letting his fangs retract. “Sorry, you surprised me.”

Yifan’s eyebrows went higher. “What were you so focused on that I managed to surprise you?” He glanced back toward the middle of the room. “Finding your next conquest?”

The unfamiliar vampire’s feline smirk flashed through his mind. “No, you lumbering oaf,” Yixing retorted, ignoring Yifan’s immediate protest. “I was just… lost in thought.”

Yifan made a noise of agreement. “I see.” He lowered his voice before adding, “Your father again?”

Yixing nodded. “I do not wish to talk about him,” he muttered, holding up his mostly-empty glass.

“Looks like you need another drink, then,” Yifan said, smiling before throwing his arm back around his shoulders and steering him back towards the bar.

As they went, Yixing tried to catch another glimpse at the dancing couples, but was surprised to only see Joohyun walking towards her newest attendant, smile radiant. He quickly looked around for his unfamiliar vampire, trying to see where he went, but he couldn’t spot him anywhere. It was like he’d disappeared.

*********

Jongdae grinned as he ran his fingers over his newest acquisitions. He tucked the bracelet into one of the small hidden pockets he'd sewn into his sleeve, and then carefully slid the thick hairpin into the larger hidden pocket inside his lapel. The woman he’d been dancing with, whatever her name was - Joo-something, he thought - hadn’t even noticed.

He tucked his hands into the slim side pockets of his pants as he stepped out from behind the pillar, a very solid hiding spot, if he were to say so himself, and began to stroll across the room, heading back towards the bar. He was feeling the need for a celebratory drink.

He slid through a cluster of clearly older vamps, unclasping a thin gold bracelet off one of their wrists, and then finally reached the bar, signaling to the bartender. Soon enough, a fresh drink appeared before him. He swirled the glass, pleased with the consistency, and then took a sip, marveling at the perfect balance between the tang of blood and the sharpness of the alcohol. He turned to lean against the bar, surveying the room for a new target - he figured he would charm a few things off two or three more vampires, and then make his swift, silent exit, with none the wiser that he was ever there, thus winning the bet and sentencing Baekhyun to two months of deck swabbing. 

He took another sip from his glass, shifting his weight as to not press too hard on the paper-thin dagger hidden in his boot, and looked up only to spot the beautiful vampire he’d seen earlier, halfway across the room, in conversation with an older female. An extremely tall, rakishly handsome vampire stood at his side, his arm thrown carelessly across his shoulders, and Jongdae couldn’t help the flash of jealousy that jolted through him. Maybe, he mused, throwing back the rest of his drink, it was time to aim for a higher mark. His beautiful vampire did look rather wealthy, judging by the quality of clothes he was wearing, and from the way he’d stared when they’d locked eyes earlier, he was rather interested in what Jongdae had to offer.

He put his now-empty glass back on the bar and rolled his shoulders, prepping a plan of action, when a spot of red to his left caught his eye. He twisted to see what it was, figuring nothing more than an elite’s passing fancy for bright colors, but when his gaze landed on the red cloak that could only belong to one vampire, he froze.

“Shit,” he murmured. “Shit, shit, shit.” 

Thankfully, his vampire was on the opposite side of the room, so he snatched up his drink (bless the bartender for refilling his glass) and began to head in that direction, letting his feet take him as far away from Lee Jaehwan as possible while he recalculated everything. He was going to have to find a way out after completing this last mark - knowing that Jaehwan was here made it too dangerous to stay any longer than that. 

That had been one of their more successful raids a couple decades ago, having stolen a few hundred million in jewels and clothing as well as freeing all of the blood slaves he’d kept, but as a result Jaehwan had sworn an eternal vendetta against the _ Thunderstorm _ and her crew. If he spotted Jongdae here, and recognized him for who he was…

He didn’t let himself finish the thought. He couldn’t lose focus.

Banishing everything related to Jaehwan to a deep corner of his mind, Jongdae ran a hand through his hair, mussing it just enough to look tousled, took a deep breath, and angled himself towards the wildly-gesticulating female talking to a couple of other vamps, maybe three paces away from his mysterious, wealthy, beautiful vampire.

*********

Yixing glanced at his watch for the third time in as many minutes. Yifan noticed, eagle-eyed as always, and nudged him, shooting him a look that said “Hold on for just a little more.” He quietly sighed. Listening to Boah ramble about the ‘good old days’ was not his idea of a good time. But Junmyeon had shot him an approving glance earlier when he’d walked by, so he guessed that was a good thing. Although, he mused, his cousin might have been looking at Yifan, not him, in which case he really needed to get Yifan to spill the details about whatever they had going on.

Realizing he’d been silent for too long, he tuned back into the conversation so he could offer a pointless nicety and be done with it. Boah was saying something about how she used to be able to feed without consequences, at the height of the wars between the empires, when no one would take note of a couple extra people gone missing, and it was all Yixing could do to grit his teeth and stay silent. He hated how much the older generation had terrorized the human population, how they had just taken and taken and taken for their own personal gain without any thought for others around them. Boah paused to take a sip of the wine she was clutching, her hand curved around her glass almost like a talon, and Yixing took the opportunity.

“My lady,” he said, inclining his head in a show of respect. “I do beg your pardon, but it seems I must continue my rounds here, lest I am seen to be monopolizing the time of such an esteemed member of society like yourself.” He swiftly elbowed Yifan, hoping against hope that he wouldn’t question it and just follow his lead. “Thank you for the enlightening conversation,” he continued, bowing again, and then he turned around to walk away.

He didn’t get very far, because at that very moment, a quite excited and more than slightly inebriated Kang Jihyo managed to knock the half-full glass a male vampire walking behind her was holding clear out of his hand, sending the liquid flying. Flying straight into Yixing’s face, neck, and chest.

He blinked, the mixture of alcohol and blood slowly dripping off his chin, and the pocket of sudden silence he was standing in burst into chatter. 

“Oh my goodness, I am SO sorry!” Kang Jihyo shrieked, eyes wide with shock. She whirled around, her hands still flying frantically around her as she searched for a handkerchief.

Zhixiang appeared in front of him, silent as he shielded Yixing. “Are you alright?” he murmured, starting to press him back. “We should return upstairs, where you will be out of dang-”

“I am _fine, _” Yixing snapped. “It was just a bit of blood and wine, nothing more.” He shoved past his bodyguard, ignoring the way Yifan inhaled behind him. “The only damage done is to my jacket, and, well, it can be fixed.”

“I will pay for it,” Jihyo said, pushing through the fast-growing crowd to stand before him, her face contrite despite the way she was still wavering. “Just tell me how much it was.”

Yixing sighed, wanting nothing more than to vanish. “Fine.” He ran a hand through his hair, not caring if he ruined the careful styling. “Consider it done.” He slid the jacket in question off, leaving him in his white dress shirt.

“Yixing,” came a hurried voice in his ear, and he twisted to see Junmyeon standing there wringing his hands. “I saw the commotion and came right over, what hap-”

“Here,” Yixing said, interrupting him, “take this and see that it gets cleaned. The Kangs will pay for any expense incurred.” He shoved the jacket into Junmyeon’s confused hands.

“My lord,” came Zhixiang’s voice, “this is the vampire who threw the drink.” Yixing turned back to face him and stopped short.

Feline, dark eyes met his, and then thin lips curled into a smirk.

“Let him go,” Yixing said, not taking his gaze off his unfamiliar vampire. “It was an accident, Zhixiang.”

His guard glanced at him questioningly before releasing the male, who immediately dusted himself off, looking rather apologetic.

“Yifan,” he added hurriedly under his breath, noting that there were still quite a few onlookers surrounding them, “can you disperse?”

“Of course.” 

As he headed off to shoo the surrounding vampires away, the unfamiliar vampire stepped forward.

“I apologize for that,” he said, inclining his head, and Yixing almost let his knees buckle underneath him when he heard how smooth his voice was. “I would never do anything to damage such a pretty face.”

Well.

“No harm done,” Yixing replied. “However, I do not believe I have seen you here before. Do tell me your name, sir.”

The vampire smiled, eyes flashing with something unreadable for a moment. “Please, call me Zhongda.”

Yixing locked eyes with him again and felt a rush of searing heat in his chest. “A beautiful name for a beautiful man,” he said, adrenaline kicking in and letting him feel no regret for saying such flirtatious, cringe-inducing things. “Walk with me, if you would, Zhongda.”

The vampire fell into step beside him. “And your name?” he asked. “I should know who I’m walking with.”

“Can you not tell?” Yixing responded, somewhat incredulously.

“Ah.” He uncomfortably scratched the back of his neck. “I am… rather new to the area. Forgive me for not knowing everyone’s name and title.”

Yixing exhaled, surprise - and to his shock, a bit of relief - lifting a large weight from his shoulders.

“However, because of the magnitude of that… incident, shall we say, back there,” the vampire continued, “I have inferred that you are someone of import.”

“My title is not important,” Yixing said, angling towards the edge of the room. “And I figured you were new to the area, as I did not recognize you when I noticed you were here.”

“And when was that?” Zhongda raised a brow, accentuating his long eyelashes and high cheekbones.

Yixing glanced at him, struck anew by the sight of his profile, and then drew closer, lightly placing a hand on his shoulder. “As soon as you walked in,” he said lowly. “Your kind of beauty does not often step through the doors of this household.”

Zhongda met his eyes, curly lips curving into a slow, feline, seductive smile. “Pretty words from a pretty male,” he drawled. “Bold, too, especially when he still hasn’t told me his name.”

Hearing his words twisted back at him made Yixing smirk. “I suppose you may be right,” he said. Leaning closer to him, he murmured, “You may know my name when you are begging for it.”

Zhongda’s hand shot out and caught his wrist, sending sparks up his spine. “Then let me beg,” he murmured back, and when Yixing noticed his gaze dragging up his body another flash of heat tore through him. “Is there somewhere… more private we can go?”

“Of course.” Yixing led him along the wall to the small staircase partially hidden by the pillars surrounding the room. “Up here,” he said, gesturing for Zhongda to climb first. He slipped by him, smirking, and began the ascent.

He made to follow him when Zhixiang’s hand on his arm pulled him back. “My lord,” his guard said, looking worried, “are you sure this is wise? You must be present later, Lord Park is to present his heir tonight and His Highness specifically requested that you be there-”

“Yes, I know,” Yixing said, cutting him off with a glare. “You will be close by, thus I will be in no danger.” He sighed. “And I will not disappoint my father.” He turned and began to climb the stairs after his unfamiliar, beautiful vampire, not letting Zhixiang say another word.

*********

Jongdae stood at the top of the stairs, inhaling the scent of the blood-laced champagne that was circulating on the main floor and swallowing his thirst while waiting for his beautiful vampire and taking stock of the area he was now in. The balcony entrance flared out to his right, and the lack of lamps both in the hallway and on the balcony proper made it less easy to see, but extremely difficult to be seen, of which he was a fan. He didn’t need anyone spying on him and his vampire, especially as he was planning on relieving him of his heavy brooch and what looked to be a solid gold tie pin. And, he thought to himself, as his vampire finally appeared from the staircase, his (unnecessary) guard a shadow behind him, if he decided to beg for the vampire’s name in the best way he knew how, there would be no voyeuristic onlookers.

“Here we are,” his vampire said quietly, gesturing towards the balcony in a motion that highlighted his broad shoulders. “Privacy.”

Jongdae turned, the glimmer of a chain resting around the vampire’s neck catching his eye in the fading light, and his vision tunneled so that the vampire was the only thing he could see. He’d noticed the other vampire was beautiful, in the few glimpses he’d had of him throughout the night, but now, with all of his attention focused on him, he couldn’t help but notice it again. The chiseled face, the smooth lines of his body, the way a sliver of skin peeked from the collar of his shirt, the full lips, that damn dimple that only appeared when he smiled. He swallowed again, a different type of thirst drying his throat. He almost regretted giving him a semi-fake name, if only to hear his true name uttered by those perfect lips. But no one, other than the most esteemed members of his crew, knew it, and he wasn’t about to go around telling it to strangers, no matter how devastatingly handsome they were.

“Interesting,” his vampire murmured, taking another step towards him, his eyes dark. “You were quite content to talk downstairs.”

Jongdae raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t under the impression we were up here to talk,” he responded.

Something in the other vampire’s eyes flashed, sending a wave of heat through him. “Your impression is correct,” he said, and Jongdae felt his knees go weak at the rough, low tone of his voice. “I seem to recall a mention of begging?”

Jongdae blinked and the vampire was in front of him, a dangerous smile playing on his lips. “I did say that, didn’t I,” he replied, taking a step into the vampire’s space, closer to that beautiful, luscious mouth, and the - yes, he was absolutely sure now - solid gold pin on his tie.

The vampire tilted his head, eyes steadily focused on Jongdae, almost like he was hunting him. “I am waiting,” he drawled, as if he were posing a challenge, and all of Jongdae’s control went hurtling out a window.

Or at least that’s what he made it look like, reaching out and grabbing the vampire’s tie, yanking him closer, close enough to wrap his other arm around his waist. The vampire’s hands landed on his shoulders, making him briefly note that he was maybe a few centimeters shorter than the other. 

Jongdae splayed his hand on the other’s back, feeling the way the muscles tensed underneath his shirt. “I have a feeling,” he murmured, leaning closer into the vampire, letting his breath fan over the side of his neck, “that you won’t be waiting much longer.” He smirked, slightly twisting his wrist so the tie pin, now free from its resting spot, could slide down his sleeve directly into the pocket, and simultaneously tightening his grip on the vampire.

“Good,” the vampire whispered huskily. He leaned in, slowly, like he was giving Jongdae time to back away. Which could be an option, Jongdae thought, but this vampire was just so enticingly beautiful, and standing in front of him, having made innuendo after innuendo that were not very subtle at all. And who was he to deny him?

Throwing caution to the winds, since he would indeed have to make a quick escape after this and he was more than satisfied with his haul, he surged forward, only to freeze when someone shrieked from the main floor.

“YOU LOST _ WHAT?! _”

Jongdae’s eyes widened. He knew that shriek, that tone of voice.

His vampire was similarly frozen in his grip before the next words echoed up from the scene currently unfolding downstairs.

“THAT BRACELET WAS WORTH FIFTEEN MILLION AND YOU _ LOST _ IT?!?!?!?! I THINK NOT,” Jaehwan screamed, his eyes blazing red as he threw back his hood, advancing on - presumably - one of his underlings. “YOU WOULD HAVE NEVER TAKEN IT OFF, AND IT WAS FIT SPECIFICALLY TO YOU,” he yelled, “WHICH MEANS THAT YOU WERE LAX ENOUGH TO LET IT BE _ STOLEN _ OFF YOUR WRIST!”

_ Fuck. _ Jongdae winced. He really did have the worst luck. And he needed to go, go before Jaehwan put two and two together and realized -

“** _Wait._ **” Jaehwan’s growled command made every vampire downstairs turn towards him, his power evident in just that single word. Jongdae grimaced again, taking a slow step away from his vampire.

He unfroze with that, whirling towards the entrance, where his guard appeared out of the shadows, the two of them having some sort of rushed, whispered conversation, quiet enough that Jongdae couldn’t even hear them. He turned toward the ledge, morbidly wanting to know what Jaehwan would say next.

“There is only **one** being skilled enough to steal something off a vampire’s wrist without them noticing,” Jaehwan hissed. 

Jongdae gulped. His escape was looking more and more necessary.

“Which means that he is _HERE _ ,” Jaehwan continued, looking more and more murderous with every word, his eyes glowing with rage. “HE IS _ HERE _ AND I WILL FIND HIM.”

“Oh, fuck me sideways with an anchor chain,” Jongdae mumbled, quickly pressing every one of his hidden pockets to make sure the treasures they contained were all secure. 

“_ Go, _” he heard his vampire hiss. “Help calm him down before Father sees fit to insert himself.”

“I cannot and will not disobey my direct orders,” his guard hissed back. “I will not leave your side.”

“Well,” Jongdae said carefully, sliding along the wall towards the door back to the hall, “this has been fun and all, but it seems that I must be on my way.”

Both vampires whipped around to face him. “What do you mean?” his vampire asked, looking beautifully, adorably confused. 

“I… dislike conflict,” Jongdae said, glancing at the floor. The blatant lie would have made his entire crew burst into laughter, had they heard it. “I would prefer to return to my ship than stay and witness this… situation.”

“**CHEN!**” Jaehwan screamed, and Jongdae pressed his lips together, clenching his fists, hoping against hope that his vampire would just let him go, no further questions.

“Ship?’ his vampire asked. “Are you traveling?”

“**i KNOW YOU ARE HERE, YOU BASTARD**,” echoed up from the main floor. 

“I’m on a… tour, of sorts,” Jongdae answered, inching closer and closer to the door. “It has been an honor,” he continued, inclining his head towards his vampire without taking his gaze off his destination. “But I really must -”

“Halt,” the guard said, stepping out from behind his vampire. “If the High Lord is correct, then we must search all patrons as protocol.”

“Ah.” Jongdae smiled tightly. “But I do not believe His Highness is correct.”

He took another sliding step towards the hall.

“Sir, I must ask that you stop and submit to a search,” the guard said, his voice hard. “It is a matter of security.”

Jongdae let the smile fall from his face for a brief moment, his annoyance too great to be contained, before he plastered it back on. “And I am refusing, because your High Lord is clearly out of his mind.” He took another step, relief flooding his veins when he realized he was at the entrance to the hallway. “Again, it has been an honor.” He turned and strode out.

Or at least, he attempted to, before a hand clamped itself around his wrist and yanked him backwards. “If you run,” the guard said, voice as flat as his face, “we will see it as an admission of guilt. I must search you.”

Jongdae’s mind went blank for a brief moment. If he was searched, not only would they discover the millions in jewels and gold stuffed throughout his jacket, but they would also find his daggers, his signet ring, and, most importantly, his small captain’s ledger, which contained so much sensitive information that it never left his person. Not even on his ship.

He could not let it fall into the wrong hands - which were any hands that were not his own.

“**I WILL DESTROY YOU AND YOUR CREW, CHEN,**” Jaehwan was yelling from downstairs, and he realized that the longer he stayed, the greater his chances were of being caught and then dismembered or something. He sighed. He hadn’t wanted it to come to this.

“I apologize,” he said, letting his body relax and allowing the guard to tug him closer. “I didn’t want to have to do this.”

He wrenched his arm free before either vampire could move, darted behind the guard, and hit three pressure points at the back of his neck in quick succession, making the male gasp and then slump to the ground, unconscious.

*********

Yixing inhaled sharply, holding his hands up in a sign of surrender. “I mean you no harm,” he said, slightly proud that he managed to keep his voice from shaking.

Zhongda glanced at him. “I know,” he said. “As long as you do not try to stop me from leaving, you will be safe.” He grinned suddenly, giving Yixing another look at the feline smile that had so charmed him. “Like I said before, I would never do anything to damage such a pretty face.”

He turned and began to step over Zhixiang’s slumped form.

“Wait,” Yixing said before he could let his brain catch up to his mouth. “Will I see you again?”

Zhongda stopped. “You’re truly asking me that?” He sounded incredulous as he looked back at Yixing.

Helpless, caught in the intensity of his stare, it was all Yixing could do to nod. Zhongda’s eyes burned for a moment before he looked away, and the tangible heat sent adrenaline pounding through Yixing’s veins, burning away any last sliver of control, leaving only his yearning for adventure, for freedom, for taking something for himself, for taking his life back into his hands.

“I would not be amiss to continuing our… previous conversation,” Yixing added, shifting his weight onto one leg, letting his eyes flick down Zhongda’s body. “Despite the circumstances.”

Zhongda raised his eyebrows. “Neither would I,” he said lowly. “However.” He delicately drew a mirror from somewhere inside his jacket and angled it towards one of the hall windows, letting the light catch on it once, twice, three times. “You will not see me again. Not unless… no.” He looked almost shocked at himself, the expression so unabashed that Yixing took a step towards him.

“Unless what?”

Zhongda met his eyes once more. Yixing could feel the hunger bubbling inside him, hunger not only for the man standing in front of him but for the thrill he brought, the defiance, the escape. The freedom from his father’s expectations, from the stifling society that had been all he’d ever known, those gloriously ornate chains that had bound him to the strict rules and regulations of the elite.

Something tightened in Zhongda’s face. “Unless you come with me,” he said.

Yixing’s eyes widened. It was like Zhongda had known exactly what he’d always wished for, what he’d always hoped would happen - he would be given a chance to leave, to rid himself of his title and duties, to strike out on his own, make his own decisions, live his own life. And here was this chance, standing in front of him, having just knocked out his own personal guard after flirting with him so heavily he hadn’t quite known what to do.

“Yes.” 

Zhongda blinked. “What?”

“Yes, I shall come with you,” Yixing said, almost breathlessly.

He blinked again, seemingly even more shocked than when he’d first offered. “Truly?”

“Yes,” Yixing repeated.

Zhongda stared at him for a few seconds more before a grin stretched across his face, a grin equal parts dark and ecstatic. “Well then,” he drawled, extending a hand to him, “you’d better keep up.”

Yixing slid his platinum ring off his left hand, the one with his family crest and his personal sign, identifying him as the prince, and dropped it on the floor next to Zhixiang’s still-unconscious body, before placing his hand in Zhongda’s. “Try me,” he said, grinning back at him.

The only warning he got was a crinkle of Zhongda’s eyes before they were off, running at full speed down the corridor towards the far window that had somehow been opened, so fast the walls were blurring. “Follow me,” Zhongda called, right before he laughed and launched himself through the opening.

Yixing swallowed, finally tasting real, true freedom in the stale air of the manor, and jumped through the window without a second thought.

*********

His vampire kept surprising him, Jongdae mused as they sprinted through the gardens, weaving through paths Jongdae had memorized last night, heading for the pre-arranged meeting spot with Minseok and Kyungsoo. First it had been the intensity he’d shown when they’d been alone, then actually accepting his offer of leaving, and now, he was keeping pace magnificently, never once faltering as Jongdae led him through the gardens, edging closer to the end of the property. His hand was still in Jongdae’s own, and he could feel the strength in those long fingers just from the way their palms were pressed against each other. There was a headiness to the feeling, one Jongdae couldn’t get enough of.

Although, he thought as they rounded yet another corner, the iron fence enclosing the gardens looming larger with every step, there were some things he should probably mention before they met up with the other members of his crew. _ And _ he still didn’t know the other vampire’s name.

“So,” he said, panting slightly as they passed the hibiscus bushes, a sign that they were almost to the property border. “When we get to the ship, we might need to set sail pretty quickly.” He glanced at the other vampire. “I can’t be calling you ‘Hey, you’ every time I need you to help.”

“Why would you be asking me for help?” the vampire asked, looking as adorably confused as he had when Jongdae had first mentioned the ship.

“Ah.” Jongdae whipped them around another corner. “It’s my ship.”

“Y-your -” The vampire inhaled. “Your ship.”

“Yes.” Jongdae finally spotted the small iron gate which he’d left open earlier, pulling his vampire through it as quickly as he could. “And as her captain, I need to know the names of all passengers and crewmen.” He paused. “Well, just a name for everyone. Some of my crew don’t want their true names yelled across the deck every day.”

They made into the cover of the surrounding trees before his vampire asked, “Why not?”

Jongdae huffed a laugh, heading towards the river he’d rowed up earlier that day. “If you haven’t guessed by now,” he said, “you’re not as intelligent as I thought you were.”

“Oh, I have a guess,” the vampire replied, “I just wanted to hear you confirm it.”

Jongdae shot him a look as they hopped over a huge boulder, meaning they were less than five minutes from the river - and the rowboat where Minseok and Kyungsoo were waiting.

“Tell me your guess, and I’ll confirm,” he said.

The vampire slowed his steps, pulling Jongdae with him down to a jog instead of a sprint. “You tensed when High Lord Lee began to make a fuss,” he started. “You attempted a hasty exit after that, citing that you disliked conflict, but then knocked my highly-trained personal guard out in two moves. You yourself told me you are not from this area, and....” He paused for a second. “Your voice, no matter how hard you try, does not have the same speech patterns as do the vampires of the elite. Meaning that you are not elite, and had no business being at the gathering, which leads me to infer that you are a thief, stealing from elites to line your own pockets. Add the mention of a ship and crewmen, and thus you are captain of a lowly crew of pirates.”

Jongdae raised his eyebrows, surprised and impressed - and slightly offended that his vampire had called him and his crew ‘lowly’. “You guessed all of that, and still agreed to come?”

The vampire had the audacity to smirk. “And deny myself the chance of hearing you beg for my name? Impossible.”

Jongdae laughed. “You continue to surprise me,” he said. “But in all honesty, despite how much I’d like to do that,” he continued, winking, “I do need your name, because if you’re thinking of having me put on a show in front of my crew, I will leave you on the shores, not a penny to your name.”

The vampire smirked again. “Good to know,” he replied. “I will keep that in mind.” He jumped over a fallen tree, easily clearing the branches, and waited for Jongdae to make the same jump before they continued down the narrow path to the river. “You may call me Lay.”

Oh, he _ was _ clever, using the same tactic Jongdae had to give him his (semi) false name earlier in the night. Before Jongdae could respond, however, they passed under the branches of an old, worn oak tree and emerged on the riverbank, his rowboat bobbing in the water, Minseok already seated at the oars, Kyungsoo standing on the shore, arms crossed.

He whistled, and Kyungsoo turned. “Got room for one more?” Jongdae called, grinning wildly.

“What in seven hells are you doing, you idiot,” barked Kyungsoo. “No wonder you took so long.”

“Stuff a sail in it,” Jongdae grumbled. “This is Lay, he’s our newest acquisition.” He gestured to Kyungsoo and then Minseok. “D.O, Xiumin. Make nice.”

He hopped the river and landed in the boat, making it sway dangerously. “Let’s go,” he said, waving for Lay to come as well.

Kyungsoo made the jump, landing much more neatly than Jongdae had. Lay stood on the riverbank for a second, his dark eyes scanning the boat, and then he leaped.

Jongdae couldn’t take his eyes off him as he arced through the air, gracefully landing in the boat with barely a sound.

“Go,” he said to Minseok, who cocked an eyebrow at him before beginning to row, their boat easing off the shore and then slicing through the water.

“Where did you _ find _ him,” Kyungsoo muttered, leaning closer to Jongdae. “He reeks of elite.”

“That’s because he is,” Jongdae murmured back. “A bonus from the party, if you will.”

“Hellcurrents, Dae,” Minseok interjected from behind them. “How are you going to explain this one? Kidnapping an elite?”

“I didn’t kidnap him, you chum bucket,” Jongdae hissed, carefully eyeing Lay to make sure he was still watching the fast-passing scenery and not listening to them. “He agreed to come when I offered.”

Kyungsoo choked on air. “You _ offered _ him a place on the ship?”

“Not... exactly.”

Minseok took one of his hands off the oars and whacked Jongdae’s shoulder. “Bet that wasn’t all you offered,” he leered.

Jongdae dropped his head into his hands. “Poseidon save me,” he mumbled, making Minseok burst into laughter.

Kyungsoo patted his head. “No such thing,” he said, and Jongdae could hear the smile in his voice. “Besides, we’re back.”

Jongdae lifted his gaze to see that they were, indeed, approaching the _ Thunderstorm _ from starboard. “Oh, thank the seas,” he said, a smile of his own breaking out. “I can’t wait to see Baek’s face.”

Minseok guided the boat up next to the hull and Jongdae immediately jumped onto the deck, only somewhat overcompensating and landing in a pile of dirty sheets that someone (Jongin, most likely) had left next to the wheel.

There were two thuds and then Minseok sniggered. “How many times have you made that jump?”

“Shut your mouth,” Jongdae said, managing to untangle himself and stand with as much dignity as he could muster, noting with much less surprise that Lay had also made the jump from boat to deck in silence. “And show Lay around. Give him the bed next to Kai for now.”

“Yes, sir,” Minseok said, mockingly saluting him, before motioning for Lay to follow him.

“Is that my captain’s dulcet tones I hear?” Baekhyun’s head popped out from behind the sails.

Kyungsoo groaned. 

“Hey, anchorhead, get up here,” Jongdae called, shoving his hands in his pockets and grinning smugly.

Baekhyun gasped and then sprinted the length of the deck to stand in front of him. “Why are you grinning? Why. Are. You. Grinning.”

Minseok snorted, having stopped walking to watch, Lay glancing between the two of them confusedly.

Jongdae withdrew his hands from his pockets. “You dared me,” he started, “to do the impossible.”

Baekhyun crossed his arms, slowly starting to smirk. “I did,” he said.

Jongdae opened his hands to reveal - nothing.

“HA!” Baekhyun crowed. “I KNEW you couldn’t do it, I _ knew _ it.”

Jongdae held up a hand, effectively quieting him. “Not only did I succeed,” he said, shrugging out of his jacket and turning it inside out to reveal the bulging hidden pockets, “we also have a new passenger.” He jerked his head in Lay’s direction. “Lay, Baekhyun. Baekhyun, Lay.”

Baekhyun’s eyes practically bugged out of his head for a moment before his gaze turned calculating. “I have to see it to believe it,” he said, scanning Jongdae’s jacket. “New passenger is great, but not part of the bet.”

Jongdae rolled his eyes and opened the pocket closest to him, the large one that had laid against his chest, and withdrew the handful of glittering gems and brooches, all laid with gold or platinum. “Does this convince you?”

Baekhyun’s jaw dropped.

“Hyung, did you do it?” came Sehun’s voice, scratchy with exhaustion, from the stairwell that led to the lower deck. Jongdae grinned at him and held up his hand.

“Of course,” he said, reveling in the disappointment that was rolling off his first mate in waves. “And now you and Kai don’t have to clean for three months.”

“Awesome,” Sehun breathed.

“Three?!” Baekhyun’s head whipped up. “We agreed on two!”

“Ah, but I brought treasure, a new passenger, and managed to evade High Lord Lee, two of which were not part of the original terms, so it’s only fitting that your punishment be extended as well.” Jongdae tilted his head. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Dammit,” Baekhyun mumbled. “You were under Lee’s nose again and he didn’t catch you?”

“Exactly.” Jongdae tossed a brooch to his other hand, admiring how the ruby at the center glittered in the starlight. “It was close, though.”

“You know his vendetta against us is only going to get worse, right?" Kyungsoo said, arms crossed as he leaned against a mast.

Jongdae shrugged. “It’s not as if he’s ever been able to stop us before,” he said, emptying the rest of his pockets onto their navigation table. “Let him rage. It will only bring more notoriety to our names.”

He scanned his loot, extremely pleased, before he remembered that he hadn’t seen his last two crew members, and they really did need to leave. “Speaking of, where are Kai and Yeol?”

“Nini’s downstairs,” Sehun said, stretching. “We were cleaning the sparring room earlier, but he might be napping now.”

“When is that kid not napping,” Minseok said, earning chuckles from the rest of them, save Lay, who, when Jongdae looked over at him, was gazing at the pile of gold and jewels.

“Yeol’s not back yet,” Baekhyun added. “He had leave to see his family tonight, but he said he’d be back before one.”

“And it’s after that now,” Kyungsoo said.

Jongdae grimaced. “Well, if he’s not back by the time we’re ready to go, he’s getting left here.”

“Aw, don’t leave him stranded again,” Sehun whined as he wandered over to look at the loot. “He never shut up once he got back the last time.”

“That one was entirely his own fault,” Jongdae countered. “Who goes gambling thirty minutes before meetup?”

Sehun pouted, crossing his arms. Jongdae reached up and ruffled his hair. “Go wake Nini,” he said, “and then prep for departure.”

“‘Kay.” Sehun vanished back into the stairwell.

“Soo, the sails,” Jongdae said, snapping into his captain persona. “Full masts, we’re going to need speed. Baek, can you tighten all the knots and oil the rudder? It’s getting squeaky again.”

“Done,” Baekhyun said, shooting him a worried look. “Don’t leave Yeol behind again.”

Jongdae rolled his eyes. “He needs to be on _ time _,” he replied. “I got back before he did.”

“Fair.” Baekhyun sighed before heading towards the ropes at mizzenmast. 

“Min, can you plot me a course to Oasis after you show Lay around?”

Minseok nodded, and Jongdae moved back to the wheel, making to scoop his treasures into a sheet so he could count them later, but stopped when he saw Lay standing by the navigation table, staring at a familiar gold tie pin.

“Krakenshit,” Jongdae muttered under his breath.

Lay reached out and carefully, tentatively, picked the pin up, before he turned to face Jongdae. “This is mine,” he said, his voice ice cold.

“It is,” Jongdae replied warily, seeing no need to lie about that. “I apologize for that. I didn’t think that, well, that this would happen.”

Lay’s hand tightened around the pin, his knuckles white with tension. “I have inferred something else,” he said, his eyes betraying nothing of the ease and flirtiness from before. “High Lord Lee has a vendetta against your crew.”

“And?” Jongdae leaned against the wheel, not taking his eyes off Lay.

“Meaning that this is the _ Thunderstorm _,” Lay said, “and you are none other than-”

“Chen, we have to go,” boomed Chanyeol, bursting onto the deck with a huge thud. “The entire place is in an uproar, Lee is gathering forces to comb the countryside for you since he thinks you were at the event at the King’s mansion, and apparently the Crown Prince is also missing and his guard was knocked out and no one knows anything about what happened and-”

Chanyeol finally glanced up at where Jongdae was standing next to Lay, and his words ceased, like a dam suddenly stopping a river from flowing.

“Why,” he said, slowly and with extreme caution, “is Crown Prince Yixing standing on the deck of the ship?”

*********

Yixing inhaled, his shock at being recognized paling in comparison to the way Zhongda - _ Chen _ , he reminded himself, this was not some unfamiliar vampire he could bed with no consequences, no, this was the most feared pirate in the world, the vampire who had, along with his crew, stolen more money and valuables than he could even imagine, and hijacked so many ships of both humans and vampires alike that his name was whispered in fear throughout _ both _ societies - stumbled back when he heard the tall man, presumably the Yeol they’d mentioned, name him.

“You’re… you’re the Crown Prince?” Chen looked askance at him.

Yixing straightened, his hand still clenched around his tie pin (which he hadn’t even noticed was missing, that thieving bastard). “I was.” He glared at Chen. “But you offered me a chance, and I took it. I am not going back. Any danger that you face will be nothing compared to back there.”

Chen huffed, looking offended. The news seemed to be processing.

Yixing turned away from him, ignoring the heat that he could still feel from his gaze, and looked at the man whose name he thought Chen had said was Xiumin, whose face was impressively blank. “You said something about a bed?” 

The man nodded. “Follow me," he said. Yixing shot Chen one more glance before he followed Xiumin away from him, towards the staircase he had seen that other tall, thin man go down before.

“Quick tour,” Xiumin continued, gesturing at the left hallway as they made their way down the stairs. “That way’s the sparring rooms and the oarsrooms. Captain’s cabin is at the far end.” He jerked his head to the right. “Down here’s the rest of the cabins, our bloodspace, and the hold - which doubles as the brig.” Yixing winced at the smirk that crossed his face, and Xiumin shot him a look. “You’re on our ship now,” he said, eyes flashing red for a second. “You break the captain’s rules, you spend a night in there. No exceptions.”

Yixing swallowed, nerves racing. “What are the rules?” he asked as they kept walking.

Xiumin laughed quietly to himself. “There aren’t too many,” he said. “One - no stealing. Two - when we’re on a raid, cover names only. Three - always follow orders. And four - no violence unless necessary.”

That, more than anything, shocked him. “Wh - really? No violence?”

Xiumin grinned, fangs extending. “Unless necessary. To be fair, it’s almost always necessary.”

Yixing gulped. He hadn’t had fighting lessons in… quite a number of years. His father had seen to it that he wouldn’t need them after he’d assigned Zhixiang to be his personal guard. “Would you be willing to spar with me at some point, then?” he asked. “I would like to be prepared.”

Xiumin smirked, letting his fangs retract as he stopped in front of a nondescript door. “You shouldn’t ask that of me,” he said. “Not yet, anyway. If you have time tomorrow, talk to Sehun or Yeol.” He pushed the door open. “Here’s your cabin. Make yourself comfortable.”

Yixing stepped inside and then turned back. “Thank you,” he said, inclining his head. “For showing me around.”

Xiumin nodded. “Welcome aboard the _ Thunderstorm _,” he replied, before turning away and heading back down the hallway.

Yixing let the door close behind him and then took a look around. There was a bed next to the wall, a chest that on further inspection contained a few sets of linen clothes, two empty buckets, and a small mirror mounted on the back of the door. There was also a leather sheath resting on top of the chest, and when Yixing picked it up a dagger slid out. He jumped back, narrowly avoiding stabbing his own foot, and carefully scooped the dagger off the floor. The hilt was wooden, intricately carved and carefully worked to hold the blade - which looked to be some form of steel. He tucked the blade back into the sheath and made to put it down, when he remembered where he was and buckled the sheath to his leg. It wouldn’t hurt to have a weapon on him.

He looked around his cabin once more. It was rather bare, but he couldn’t expect it to be filled with the luxuries that he’d had at the manor. He was on a ship. A pirate ship. The most notorious pirate ship in generations.

This was his life now.

The ship lurched, and he stumbled across the room, barely managing to not smack into the wall, before he regained his footing as the ship shuddered and lurched again.

He remembered Zhongda’s - or rather, Chen’s - words when they’d been running through the gardens, and made the decision to venture back to the main deck, see if he could be of use.

He made his way down the hallway to where he remembered the stairs were, only staggering into the wall twice as the ship kept heaving beneath him, and carefully climbed up to the main deck. 

He pushed the door open and was greeted with a gust of wind as the short male whose name he thought was D.O unfurled a sail. The male who had joked with Chen earlier shoved one of the poles towards the water, making the newly-unfurled sail billow as it caught the wind. “Push to starboard!” someone yelled, voice commanding, and Yixing glanced up to see Chen standing by the wheel, gazing around.

The ship gave another lurch, moving deeper into the water, and Yixing looked over the side to see Xiumin and Yeol standing underneath him, knee-deep in the ocean, leaning against the hull and _ pushing _. 

“Sehun, Kai, oars!” Chen yelled, then brought his hand down in a chopping motion. Xiumin and Yeol gave another shove, and the wood groaned, but the ship finally slid off the sand and into the ocean. Before Yixing could blink, Xiumin backed up a step and then ran at the ship, leaping onto the deck. Yeol followed soon after, breathing heavily and grinning. The ship shuddered again, and Yixing watched as a large oar shot out from the side and began to move, propelling them forward. He turned around to see the shore quickly receding as the ship picked up speed. Xiumin clapped Yeol on the shoulder and then darted to the rear of the ship, where he grasped a lever that seemed to control the sails, and there he stayed, eyes watching the fluttering fabric above them. Yeol saluted in Chen’s direction and then vanished down the stairs.

Yixing squinted up at the sails and the mass of ropes that held them together. He could see the same male who had been on the poles earlier climbing the ropes, up towards a small lookout post. He looked back at Chen, who had now placed his hands on the wheel and was gazing out into the horizon. Before he could think better of it, he glanced back at the shore once more, wishing his father and his cousins well, and then turned forward to face the ocean. He inhaled, the sea air tasting of salt and independence, and let a soft smile settle over his face. 

“Lay.” Chen’s voice cut through the night air, startling him. “Come up here.”

He looked over, still apprehensive about approaching him, but when Chen jerked his head in a silent order, he couldn’t help but remember what Xiumin had told him was rule three - always follow orders - and headed up to the wheel.

Chen didn’t say anything, just leaned on the wheel and stared out at the horizon, the ship rolling with the waves under their feet. Yixing felt his stomach flip at the constant motion, readjusting his stance so he didn’t feel quite so wobbly.

“No sea legs?” 

“Hm? Oh, no,” Yixing answered, briefly looking at him out of the corner of his eye before returning his awed gaze to the ocean in front of them. “I have not had much cause to be on a ship.”

“You’ll get used to it.” Chen straightened, stretching his arms over his head for a moment before turning and scanning him. “Is this… your first time out of that mansion?”

A small, incredulous smile crossed Yixing’s face. “Why, do I look that green?” 

Chen paused for a second. “No, but… it’s nothing.” He waved a hand. “Come. I’ll go over your duties for now.”

Yixing raised an eyebrow, curious as to what the pirate was thinking, but dutifully followed him away from the wheel and down to one of the ship’s masts, trying not to stumble every time the ship bobbed over a wave. 

“This is the main mast,” Chen explained, gesturing at the mass of ropes that extended up to where the other male was perched in a lookout spot. “These ropes are called the rigging, they attach the sails to the masts and make for good climbing.” He smirked. “Your job is to make sure the rigging isn’t tangled. If it is, you’ll have to untangle it.” He cast a perfunctory glance at Yixing’s hands before continuing to walk. “You’ll also help row, rotating shifts with the rest of us. And I expect you in the sparring rooms at least once a day. After we reach Oasis, and if you’ve proven yourself - sufficient, I’ll consider giving you new duties.”

“That… does not seem like much,” Yixing commented, eyeing Chen warily. “Also, that is the second time you’ve mentioned Oasis. What is it?”

“It’s not,” Chen replied. “And Oasis is… well, it’s our next destination. You’ll see when we get there.” He turned and headed back toward the wheel. “You have the rest of the night to yourself. You start your duties tomorrow.”

Yixing blinked. Time… to himself? “Really?” he murmured, almost frozen to the spot with tension. 

A huff of laughter echoed across the deck. “Really,” Chen said, and flashed him a sharp grin. “Enjoy your night.”

Yixing inhaled the sea air again, shuffling carefully towards the railing at the side of the ship. This time, when he exhaled, he felt the weight of his past lift off his shoulders completely. This time, he felt his newfound independence settle in his chest, the last of his restraints falling away. He looked towards the horizon, nothing but dark sea stretching out in front of him, and felt a rush of joy at the thought that he was embarking on an adventure, an adventure full of new experiences and new people and none of the old restrictive tendencies from the elite. This - this was the freedom he’d been searching for.

As that thought crossed his mind, he couldn’t help but glance back to where Chen was standing, hands grasping the wheel, back straight and proud, looking every inch the ruthless pirate he was rumored to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> O.O  
this fic is legit my baby i worked so hard on it and it gave (and still is giving) me a ton of writers block but i wanna make it the best it can be for you all!!!  
i hope you guys enjoyed it so far! part ii, with even more adventure and tension, will be coming soon~  
thank you to the prompter, such a good~  
and thank you SOOOOO much to the mods for putting up with me and my multiple extensions you guys are the literal best!!!!  
♥
> 
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	2. ii

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The adventure continues.

Once the night faded into dawn and Kyungsoo had gotten set up for his shift on oars, Jongdae retreated to his cabin, intent on counting his bounty from the party, but he couldn’t concentrate. Every time he tried, he would lose count, having to shove everything back into a pile and start over. He ran his fingers over the loot once more, the gems twinkling at him in the faint candlelight, but even the feel of solid gold and platinum didn’t bring a smile to his face. He was too absorbed in thoughts of Lay -  _ Yixing _ , his traitorous mind whispered,  _ Crown Prince Yixing, set to rule over all vampire elite, before you spirited him away. _

He still couldn’t believe it. The beautiful vampire he’d thought of seducing, the seemingly important noble who had accepted his offer to join him without a second thought, was actually the Crown Prince. He winced. If Chanyeol was correct, it wouldn’t be long before Jaehwan put two and two together and told the King, and then his name would be even more hated among the vampire elite than it already was. 

And by Poseidon, he hoped Chanyeol wasn’t correct.

But he had seen the look on Lay - on  _ Yixing _ ’s face, that look of irrepressible joy, when he had beheld the open ocean in front of them, when Jongdae had acknowledged his free time, when he had taken his first lungful of air outside that mansion, running for his life, Jongdae’s hand in his.

What he wasn’t sure of was whether that joy had been caused by being freed from that oppressive place or by Jongdae himself. 

His mood sufficiently soured, he swept the jewels he’d collected into a leather satchel and tucked it behind his desk. He’d have to find time to count them (without distraction) before they made land at Oasis; he didn’t trust Kibum to give him an accurate amount in exchange otherwise. 

Jongdae stood from his chair, wincing at the sound his back made as he stretched, and, after glancing around his cabin, swiped his rapier off its stand. He hoped someone else would be awake and restless, restless enough to spar with him.

The ship was quiet as he walked down the hall, no noise save the creak of the oars and the gentle shifting of the sails in the wind. His crew were presumably all in their cabins, falling victim to the drowsiness the daylight brought, as he could hear no trace of Baekhyun and Chanyeol’s usual shouting, or Sehun’s complaining, or even Minseok and Jongin’s quiet huffs of laughter. He passed the oarsroom, saluting jauntily at Kyungsoo, who glowered back as he hummed a tune to keep himself in time, and then reached his first destination.

The bloodspace was empty, the patch of sunlight floating in from the porthole shining squarely on one of the five wooden chests arranged in the room. Jongdae carefully nudged the chest out of the direct light with the iron bar they kept for solely this purpose, and then popped the hatch. The glass bottles gleamed at him, and he noted that three had been drained already, presumably by Chanyeol the night prior. He smiled ruefully to himself, selected one from the center, and yanked the cork out, letting the rust-iron scent fill the room. He felt his fangs extend, almost involuntarily, and his throat was suddenly dry, drier than it had been at the party when he’d been downing blood-infused cocktails like it was his job, drier than the first time he’d locked eyes with Yixing from across the room. 

Whatever they did to preserve the blood gave it a slight tang, but Jongdae had grown used to the odd flavor, gulping down half the bottle in a rush. He exhaled, swiped his tongue over his fangs to lap up any droplets that had spattered against his mouth, and then consumed the rest, feeling a thrum of energy begin to spread through him. He removed a second bottle from the trunk before closing it back up and carefully pushing it back into the square of sunlight, letting the wood once again be warmed. 

Humming lightly to himself, he closed the door behind him and made his way back down the hall, heading for the sparring room, intending to run his drills without interruption (seeing as no one was actually awake to spar with him, save Kyungsoo, and he wasn’t about to let his ship stop moving towards their destination, he had appointments to keep), but all thoughts vanished from his mind when he reached the room and saw Yixing inside. 

“Fancy seeing you here,” he said, leaning against the doorway. The sound of his voice caused Yixing to startle, dropping the dagger he’d been holding.

“Oh, I…” He paused, giving Jongdae a nervous glance. “I apologize.”

“No need to,” Jongdae responded, crossing his arms. “This time is yours, you may spend it as you wish.” He raised an eyebrow. “Surprised you’re not resting, to be honest.”

Yixing picked up the dagger, carefully turning it over in his hands. “I have not rested during the daylight in years,” he said quietly, staring at the steel. “I find that my time is better spent by accomplishing tasks.” He looked up at Jongdae, his dark hair messier than it had been at the party. “And I would like to refamiliarize myself with fighting techniques.”

“Min mentioned the violence rule, didn’t he?” Jongdae gave a rueful chuckle. “That lurching bastard.” He pushed himself off the door frame and stepped inside the room, noting that Yixing’s stance shifted slightly as he did so. “I thought he’d be the least likely to try and scare you off, but it seems I was incorrect.”

A brief smile appeared on Yixing’s face. “He might have tried, but very little frightens me.” His expression hardened, something close to anger in his eyes. “I am not a weak-willed, whimpering vampire, content to hide behind my perceived status and let others do the work for me.”

Impressed, Jongdae walked closer. “Good to know.” He began to circle him, and was equally impressed by the way Yixing seemed to be tracking his movement. “But I’d like you to prove it.”

Yixing shifted, and Jongdae saw that he’d readjusted his stance yet again, giving him a better position in which to attack. “How so?” he asked, his eyes never leaving Jongdae as he continued to walk around him.

Jongdae smirked, taking in the sight of the vampire before him, still dressed in his finery from the party, eyes tracking him. The blood he’d just drunk was singing through him, his body filled with energy. He put down the second bottle he’d been carrying, on top of the chest that housed their practice swords, and said, “Refamiliarize yourself.”

That was the only warning he gave before he whirled and drew his rapier, the steel flashing in an arc through the air as it swung toward Yixing. 

He jumped back, narrowly avoiding getting his hand sliced off, and glared. “I - I have not fought in  _ centuries _ ,” he said, a little desperately, as Jongdae swung his sword again, lightning fast, and he stepped back again.

“I’ll go easy on you,” Jongdae said, thrusting his blade forward, giving Yixing half a second longer to dodge than he normally would give an opponent. “Come on, fight back.”

He let the tip of his sword catch on Yixing’s sleeve and yanked it up, tearing the fabric. “Let me see what you can do.”

Yixing’s eyes flashed red, his hand tightening on the hilt of his dagger. Jongdae twirled his sword and smirked again. “Fight back,  _ Yixing _ ,” he said lowly, before advancing again.

This time when he thrust, Yixing met his strike with the dagger, pressing the blades away from his arm. “Not a fair fight,” he growled, the red in his eyes getting brighter. “Mismatched weapons.”

“It’s never a fair fight,” Jongdae responded, turning away and letting Yixing stumble forward before he brought his blade up to his unguarded left side, stopping before he actually did the vampire bodily harm. “You need to find the advantage, no matter what weapon you may or may not have.”

He tapped Yixing’s side with the tip of his sword before he stepped back, sliding the rapier back into its sheath. “But I acquiesce; no swords.” He unbuckled the sheath and laid it atop the sword chest as well. “Now I’m weaponless.”

Yixing’s eyes burned, and Jongdae saw his next move coming. He sidestepped Yixing’s blade, and as Yixing twisted to try again, Jongdae caught his wrist with one hand, wresting the dagger from him, and then spun around, putting him in a chokehold, his dagger to his neck. “And now I’m not.”

The tension in Yixing’s body was palpable, and Jongdae took great pleasure in the slight shiver he felt run through him as he whispered, “You’ll have to try harder than that,” directly into his ear. The attraction he’d felt at the party came roaring back, the memory of that dangerous moment on the secluded balcony screaming at him to do something, and his focus tunneled to the smooth skin of the vampire in his arms, the intensity he’d seen, the way he’d smiled at him, and-

Something slammed into his stomach and he gasped, involuntarily stumbling back and releasing both the dagger and Yixing. When he straightened, Yixing was holding the dagger once more, pointing it shakily at his chest.

Jongdae grinned, letting his fangs extend slightly. “Very good,” he said. “Quite clumsy and crude, but good. You’re not hopeless after all.” 

Yixing slowly lowered the dagger, the red in his eyes starting to fade. “I…” He stopped, seemed to rethink something, and then spoke again. “Will you teach me to fight?”

The request stopped Jongdae in his tracks, and he had to kick his brain into functioning again. “No,” he said quietly. “Not yet, anyway.” Suddenly drained of the desire to spar, and feeling somehow unbalanced, he picked up his rapier, buckling it back onto his hip. “There is a test you must pass before that can happen.”

“What is it?”

Jongdae sighed. “You must defeat Xiumin. Assuming, of course, you live that long.” He tossed the bottle of blood to Yixing, who just managed to catch it, looking confused. “Drink up. Can’t have anyone going feral on my ship.”

He walked out of the room and turned left to head back to his cabin, resisting the urge to look back at Yixing. Maybe, once he sat down again, he’d be able to finish counting the jewels this time.

*********

The strange encounter with Chen plagued Yixing for the next few hours. He turned Chen’s words over and over in his mind, idly playing with the dagger as he alternately sat on his bed and paced the length of his cabin, pausing every now and then to sip from the bottle Chen had given him. The blood had a strange taste to it, something odd that had made him practically spit out his first mouthful, but he’d realized he couldn’t be picky with what was available. He was on the  _ Thunderstorm _ \- the blood selection wouldn’t be the same as it had been at the mansion. 

Yixing sighed, sitting back down on his bed. The hilt of the dagger was familiar to him now, his fingers running over the same nicks and ridges in the wood. His mind flashed to the moment that Chen had pulled out his rapier and pressed him into fighting. A beautiful sword, that rapier, and Chen had moved like it was simply an extension of his hand, his movements smooth and solid, unflinching even when Yixing had swiped at him with the dagger. He remembered the swoop of Chen’s voice, the way he’d crushed him to his chest in that chokehold, that low whisper against his neck. He shivered, shaking his head to throw the specter of Chen’s breath off him, and flopped back on his bed, his head landing on the sole pillow with a soft thud.

The image of Chen’s smile appeared before him, that moment when his fangs had been extended and he’d said “Very good,” and Yixing squeezed his eyes shut, trying to rid himself of the thought.

A series of sharp knocks echoed through the room and the image disappeared as he shot upright. “Hey, get up,” came an unfamiliar voice. “Captain said I need to show you the ropes.” There was a snort following those words.

Yixing carefully pulled the door open. The tall, thin crew member he’d seen last night stood in front of him, and there was another tall man leaning against the wall behind him, muscular arms crossed.

“Oh, no,” the skinny one said, glancing Yixing up and down. “You need to change. You can’t wear these clothes, they’ll be destroyed in minutes.” He pointed to the chest. “There’s better clothes in there. If they don’t fit, too bad for now, we’ll get you new ones when we make land.”

Yixing raised an eyebrow, but turned back and opened his chest, pulling out the pile of linen he’d found when he’d first entered the cabin. “These?” he asked.

The skinny one nodded. “Yeah. Hurry, we need to get going.”

Yixing put the clothes down on his bed and waited for him to leave and close the door.

He didn’t.

Yixing rolled his eyes, glaring at him. “I must insist,” he said, walking over and taking hold of the door, “on a little privacy.” And with that, he slammed the door in the skinny one’s face.

“What did I expect,” he muttered to himself, carefully removing his shirt and replacing it with the linen one, wincing slightly when the rough fabric scraped against his skin. “Of course a group of pirates have no decency.” He removed his pants, gently folding them so the fabric wouldn’t crease, and then stepped into the linen breeches. As he pulled them up, his hand brushed the bottom half of the design he’d had inked into his skin only a few days prior, and he paused, running his fingers along the outline of the dragon. No one, save Zhixiang, who had watched him get the tattoo, knew it was there, because Yixing knew if his father ever found out he would be reprimanded within an inch of his life. 

Life. His face twisted into a sarcastic smile. What he’d had back at the manor was not life, not while he was forced into situations and made to do things he hated, be something he hated. Not anymore.

He ran his fingertips over the dragon again. It symbolized great strength and power, something he had once doubted he’d have, but he knew now that he was more powerful than he’d ever realized. The dragon reminded him of all that he’d been through, all that he’d endured, and that he was strong enough to keep going, to find his true path, his true purpose. 

Settling the pants over the ink at his hip, he glanced back into the chest before pulling out a pair of cloth sandals and sliding them on his feet. Fully dressed, he pulled the door to his cabin back open, startling the two men still outside.

“Well?” he said, closing the door behind him and stepping into the hallway.

The skinny one gaped at him, while the more muscular one chuckled. “Follow us,” he said, his voice surprisingly deep. 

Yixing fell into step behind them, and they headed for the stairs. He only stumbled into the wall once, something he felt reasonably proud of, until they reached the deck and the skinny one broke into a jog, heading for the rear of the ship, as surefooted as a deer. 

“Don’t mind Sehun,” the muscular one said, smiling fondly. “He has no manners.”

Yixing smiled at that. 

“I’m Kai,” he said, extending a hand. “I don’t think we met yesterday?”

Yixing clasped his hand around Kai’s. “Lay,” he said, remembering what Chen had told him about crew names. He really did not want his true name floating around the ship any more than it already was. “I am new. Obviously.”

Kai chuckled again. “Sehun mentioned J - Chen had picked up a new crew member. And whoever’s the newest starts on rigging.” He grinned, and Yixing felt himself relaxing at his friendly air. “Come on. I’ll teach you some knots.”

He followed Kai over to the mass of ropes surrounding the main sail. Kai waved at Sehun and another shorter man, who Yixing recognized as D.O, the other vampire who had been with Xiumin when he and Chen had arrived at the boat in the river, before he took hold of a piece of rope swinging free and pulled a knife out of his sleeve, slicing it in two. “Here,” he said, tossing the piece to Yixing. “You can practice with that.” Yixing watched as he quickly tied the now-short end back into place, his fingers flying with practiced ease.

Once that was done, Kai beckoned him closer. “This is the main rigging,” he explained. “The sails attach here, with a couple different knots, and these are attached to the boom and the other mast with some more knots. Helpful for steering.” He glanced up to the lookout Yixing had noticed yesterday. “The rest of the ropes provide footholds to climb up, so the knots need to be secured if they’re loose.”

A figure up in the lookout started to move downward, and then Yixing saw the person’s head whip around. 

Kai sighed, but the hint of a smile crossed his face. “If you hit us, Yeol,” he yelled up, “I’ll cover your cabin in boom grease.”

The figure - Yeol - raised a hand in acknowledgement, and then he let go of the rope he was holding, falling straight to the deck and landing on his feet with a large thunk.

“See?” he proclaimed, straightening out of his crouch and grinning. “Nowhere close to you.”

Kai’s eyes caught on D.O, who was standing ramrod-straight next to Sehun, and grinned. “Bye, Chanyeol,” he said, and grabbed Yixing’s wrist, pulling him away from the mast and towards the side of the ship, closer to the rest of the ropes.

Yixing watched as D.O stormed over, his face lined with fury, and Yeol - Chanyeol? - shrunk back, protests already starting to tumble out of his mouth. D.O reached up and grabbed his ear, not letting go even as Chanyeol yelled in pain, and pulled him along, away from the masts and into the stairwell.

Kai snorted with laughter at the expression on Chanyeol’s face as he disappeared into the depths of the ship. “Idiot,” he said fondly. 

“What… what just happened?” Yixing felt more confused than ever.

Kai glanced at him and hurriedly made to explain. “Oh, Chanyeol’s just being stupid. He’s injured himself jumping off the rigging before, so Soo is pissed that he’s doing it again. We’re supposed to climb up and down rather than jump, it’s a good workout and Mins - Xiumin is always on us about keeping our strength up, but when Baekhyun or Chanyeol are on lookout they usually climb up but jump down.” He grinned ruefully. “Plus, whenever Chanyeol gets hurt, Soo has to take care of him. And he doesn’t admit it, but he always gets worried whenever he does it.”

“Ah.” Yixing looked over at the door to the stairwell. “I see.” He really didn’t. Every interaction he had with the crew of the  _ Thunderstorm _ made it harder to understand them.

“Anyway!” Kai clapped his hands, breaking his train of thought. “I’m supposed to be teaching you knots, not gossiping, so let’s get to it.”

After learning the figure eight knot, the square knot, the bowline knot, and the weaver’s knot, Yixing’s hands were aching, his knuckles stiff - but he’d listened to quite a number of Kai’s anecdotes about the ship and her crew. He now knew the story of how he and Sehun had joined the crew (Kai had been hiding from his abusive instructors in a warehouse when D.O and Chanyeol had found him in their shipment of supplies in a port city Yixing had only briefly heard of, and Sehun had been a lucky find on a job in a rural area that required extensive knowledge of the human farmers’ movements), more details as to why High Lord Lee hated the crew so much (they’d completed a raid on his estate a few years ago that had left him bereft of blood slaves and stolen a few hundred million from his coffers, all without him noticing until they’d left - Yixing had known about the money but not the blood slaves, nor the exact timing of the raid), the rankings of the crew members (Chen was captain, obviously, but then Baekhyun was first mate, Xiumin was second mate and sailmaster, D.O quartermaster, Chanyeol gunner, and Sehun and Kai boatswains, leaving him wondering what exactly his position was), and tales of the fights and battles they’d fought, both on the seas and off. He noticed that in almost every tale, the crew had stolen from or fought different groups of elite vampires. It didn’t bother him as much as he’d thought it might. There were a few elite names he’d recognized, and if he were being honest, he thought those elites deserved to have their wealth taken from them.

He tightened the last square knot Kai had given him to finish and then sighed, leaning back against the wall of the ship, letting the moonlight illuminate his irritated skin. He hadn’t felt this tired from physical exertion in years. He relaxed back into the wood, letting his muscles rest as his gaze wandered over the ship. He spotted Xiumin at the rear of the ship, Chanyeol giggling with Kai as they watched the last member of the crew, Baekhyun, mop the deck, and then his eyes landed on Chen manhandling Sehun into a headlock near the wheel. 

The thoughts he’d banished earlier came swooping back into his mind with a vengeance. He could feel heat creeping up his neck at the memory of Chen manhandling  _ him _ , the intensity in his gaze as they had sparred.

An idea floated into existence, and before he could think better of it he stood, letting the rope fall from his hands. Kai shot him a questioning look from where he was standing, but Yixing ignored him, his gaze focused on the captain and (he presumed) the youngest member of the crew.

When he was close enough to be heard without having to yell across the ship, he crossed his arms and said, “Chen.”

Both vampires snapped their heads towards him. 

“Yes?” Chen raised an eyebrow at him before tightening his grip on Sehun, making the skinnier vampire cough.

“What did you mean earlier, in the sparring room?”

Chen froze at the question, and Yixing’s eyes widened. 

“Sehun, take Chanyeol and go row,” the captain said, suddenly letting go of the skinny vampire. “Your shift starts now.”

Sehun frowned, but Chen shot him a glare and he sulked off. Once he’d disappeared with Chanyeol down the stairs to the lower deck, Chen spoke again.

“Which part of what I said has you confused?”

Yixing blinked, crossing his arms tighter. “After I asked you to train me,” he began, eyes flicking over the wheel and the ocean beyond, “you said I would have to defeat Xiumin first, if I lived that long.”

“I did.” Chen tilted his head, like he was a lion examining his prey.

“If I lived that long?” Yixing returned his gaze to him. “Are you assuming that I will die?”

Chen shrugged. “Not everyone survives on the ocean. She’s rough with us.” A tiny smirk crossed his lips. “Not to mention the fights. Not everyone survives those, either.”

“Are you still trying to frighten me off?” Yixing glared at him. “I have told you, I am not afraid.”

“Only a fool isn’t afraid of anything,” Chen replied, spinning a small dagger that Yixing hadn’t even seen him take out between his fingers. “And I do not take you for a fool; I never have.” He paused, looking Yixing dead in the eyes. “But that does not mean that you will not die; nor that you will stay on the  _ Thunderstorm _ once we reach Oasis.”

“W-what?” Yixing felt his voice break with shock. “Are you throwing me off the ship?”

Chen’s eyes widened. “No, no, of course not,” he said, holding his hands up in the air, the dagger having vanished without him noticing. “I just meant - well, that wasn’t the best way to put it, but…” He swallowed, Adam’s apple bobbing, and that old flash of heat ran through Yixing once more. “Once we make land, I’m offering you a choice,” he continued. “You could stay on Oasis, find your own path, or I could give you a contract.”

“A contract for what?” Yixing’s voice was still shaky.

“To officially become a member of the crew.” Chen turned away from him to face the ocean, blue stretching out for as far as they could see. “And you would leave Oasis with us when we set sail again.”

“I…”

“Do not make a hasty decision,” Chen added, half-glancing at him. “I wouldn’t want you to regret anything.”

Yixing’s throat felt tight, his chest compressing inwards. Words were escaping him.

“You don’t have to say anything,” Chen said after a moment, breaking the silence. “Just let me know after we make land.” He turned back to the wheel. “Now, go find Sehun and tell him to switch out with Kai so he can spar with you. And tell him that’s an order.”

Yixing nodded. He wondered if he should say anything else, something to acknowledge the gravity of Chen’s offer, but he could find nothing to say that would accurately express his swirling emotions. Chen seemed to think nothing of his silence, already turning to scan the horizon, bright with stars, so Yixing just turned away and began to walk towards the stairs.

*********

Jongdae only exhaled once Yixing had successfully made it across the deck and gone down the stairwell. He wasn’t sure what had come over him, extending the offer like that, so much earlier than he had planned. But he had seen the confusion in Yixing’s eyes, the deliberation, and he had also seen that joyous wonder when he’d beheld the open ocean and the stars. Once they reached Oasis, the only port that Jongdae knew of where there were no real rules, no divisions between elites and the rest of them, no hierarchy, no demands, just a harmonious town filled with quite a lot of outcasts, he wasn’t sure what Yixing would do.

Then again, he’d never been sure of what Yixing would do. The vampire just kept surprising him.

The problem, Jongdae thought, teeth clenching as he turned the wheel a few degrees to keep them on course, is that he’d given Yixing the only thing he’d wanted - an out from his stuffy elite life. He had nothing else to offer, nothing else to give that the other vampire would want. And whatever Yixing chose to do, he would be fine with it. It was his decision, after all. Not Jongdae’s.

Minseok found him still standing at the wheel, knuckles tight on the wood, a few hours later.

“You’re going to get yourself burned to a crisp standing there,” he said, leaning against the mizzenmast. “Sun’s coming up soon.”

Jongdae shrugged, his eyes trained on the evening star he’d been using for navigation. 

“Jongdae.” Minseok peeled his fingers from the wheel. “Listen to me. Sun. Rise. Soon.”

He blinked. “What?”

“There he is.” Minseok crossed his arms. “What’s got your rigging in a knot? Or... should I say who.” 

“Don’t.” Jongdae frowned at him. “Let’s just go down. I need your help with supply inventory anyways.”

“That’s done already,” Minseok said, watching as he set the wheel in place, scooped up his navigation tools, and started walking. “Kyungsoo and Jongin did it earlier.”

“Oh.” Jongdae scanned the main deck once more before throwing open the door to the stairs. “Well, then come spar with me. I haven’t really sparred today.”

“That’s not what Sehun said,” Minseok mumbled, but he followed Jongdae down the stairs and into the sparring room anyway. “Come on, then,” he said, pulling his twin swords from the weapons rack. “Let’s get all your frustration out before you blow up at one of the crew.”

Jongdae glared at him before dropping his things on top of the spare chest. “I wouldn’t blow up,” he muttered. “Just… choice words, maybe.”

“Yeah, yeah. Come on, fight me.” Minseok grinned, twirling his left sword in his grip.

“You asked for it.” Jongdae grinned back before he drew his rapier and swung.

Once they’d both tired, Minseok went back to his cabin, claiming he needed to wash himself before Sehun complained of the smell. Jongdae grinned at him before making his way back to his own cabin, almost dreading the idea of writing up his errand lists for when they docked. They still had a couple days of travel left, and he found himself thinking of Yixing, the offer he had made earlier, as he scribbled notes detailing the past few days in his ledger. It bothered him to no end, not knowing what the vampire would do, but, he supposed, that had been the thing which had drawn him to Yixing in the first place - along with the other’s extraordinary looks. 

He groaned, shaking his head to rid himself of that train of thought as he closed his ledger and set down his pen. He was supposed to be writing supply lists.

He looked back at the sheet of parchment covered in Jongin’s messy scrawl, documenting the inventory he and Kyungsoo had counted. They had enough blood, even accounting for the addition of Yixing, but it wouldn’t hurt to get another chest from Sooyoung if he could. They were low on gunpowder, mostly because Chanyeol had been slightly trigger-happy when they’d rammed into that privateer ship a week ago, so he’d unfortunately need to stop by Kihyun’s shop for more. He shuddered. Kihyun and his shop assistant made the hair on the back of his neck stand up, but they had the best wares, so it was a small price to pay for the goods he’d be buying. 

He scanned Jongin’s inventory list again, sighing heavily when he saw the last item. Of course they needed more soap. And of course there was an aside saying that Sehun specifically requested the lavender jasmine soap from Yoona’s shop. Jongdae was of the mind to tell Sehun to use his own money for the soap, since he was the only one who used it religiously  _ and _ it was ridiculously expensive, but… he cursed the softness of his own heart. It had never been said that Chen didn’t take care of his crew.

However, he thought, if Sehun wanted more than one bar (which was all he was getting as per ship regulations), he’d have to pay up. He folded the list and stood from his chair, rolling his neck to stretch the tight muscles, and turned to head out of his cabin when the door banged open.

Chanyeol stood there, panting slightly. “Dae,” he said, eyes bright, “you might want to come see this.”

“What’s going on?” Jongdae followed him out of the cabin, locking the door behind them, but Chanyeol refused to answer, just grinned at him. 

“Come on,” he said, jogging down the hallway and stopping in front of the sparring room.

His curiosity piqued, Jongdae leaned against the door frame and glanced in, his eyebrows raising with surprise when he saw Yixing and Sehun circling each other in the center of the room.

“Are they…” he murmured.

Chanyeol nodded, grinning even more widely. “They sparred earlier, after we started rowing, but Baekkie said that they only went two rounds and that Sehun won pretty quickly both times.”

“He might not this time,” Jongdae said lowly, his eyes on Yixing. Yixing looked ten times more sure-footed than he had last night, and his gaze was laser-focused on Sehun, almost like he was analyzing the way Sehun moved, the way he fought. 

Sehun froze for the briefest of seconds, like he was terrified, but Jongdae had seen him employ this tactic too many times to be surprised when he suddenly lashed out with his hunting daggers, sweeping them forward in a move that nearly always caught his opponent off guard.

What did surprise him, however, was the way Yixing neatly sidestepped, like he’d been expecting an attack, and swung his dagger up, the metal clanging as he blocked Sehun’s second strike and pushed. Sehun stumbled a step back, shock flashing across his face before he schooled his expression into a blank sheet the way Jongdae had taught him, and then attacked again.

Yixing practically blurred, he moved to the side so fast, and then he tried to stab Sehun’s open right side, only for Sehun to swing one of his daggers down to block the hit. 

The two of them continued to fight, blades clashing as they blocked and parried, their bodies twisting as each of them tried to land hits on the other. Jongdae was impressed with the speed that Yixing had adapted to Sehun’s fighting style, which was, he knew, very effervescent and full of sweeping strikes that had the air whistling along his blades.

There was a thud, and Sehun gasped.

Jongdae couldn’t help the small smile that crossed his face. Yixing had elbowed Sehun in the stomach and snatched one of his daggers, reversing the weapons advantage to be in his favor.

Yixing twirled Sehun’s dagger, his hand settling on the grips, and then he leaped forward, both daggers flashing as he swung them.

Sehun barely managed to dodge, spinning away from the blades coming extremely close to his chest, but when he struck with his remaining dagger, Yixing blocked the blade, the hilt of the dagger in his right hand colliding with Sehun’s wrist with a crunch.

Jongdae watched, increasingly impressed, as Sehun’s face twisted in a moment of pain, his hand involuntarily going limp, letting his dagger fall to the ground. Yixing kicked it out of reach before flipping his grips and stalking forward.

Sehun’s eyes flashed red and he met Yixing’s blades with a block and an attempted uppercut, which Yixing neatly avoided before he spun, pinning both of Sehun’s arms behind him and sweeping one of his daggers up to his throat.

“Alright, alright, I give,” Sehun sputtered, the red in his eyes starting to fade. “You win.”

Jongdae began to applaud, startling the both of them. “Very good,” he said. “Very, very good.”

Yixing blinked slowly before releasing Sehun. “How long…” He crossed his arms, still holding onto both daggers.

Jongdae turned away from him, beckoning to Sehun. “Sorry, Sehunnie,” he said, throwing an arm around him. “You’re still rank six.” 

“How did you get better so fast?” Sehun asked, giving Yixing a look. “You were terrible earlier, no offense.”

“None taken,” Yixing replied, glancing between Sehun, Jongdae, and Chanyeol leaning against the wall. “I remembered some of my prior training.”

“Some?” Chanyeol raised his eyebrows. “If you could beat Sehunnie like that with only some of your training, I’m interested to see what you’ll be able to do once you remember it all.” He grinned, turning to Jongdae. “Dae, you and Uminie might have a challenger.”

Jongdae smacked his arm. “Don’t count your ships before they dock, Yeol,” he said, glaring. 

“Hellcurrents, that hurt,” Chanyeol replied, grimacing back at him. “I’m going back to oars before you can abuse me any more.”

“You were the one who dragged me out of my cabin,” Jongdae retorted, rolling his eyes as Chanyeol jogged away. “And I’m going back there now, I have work to do.”

“Did you see my soap request?” Sehun asked. “I told Nini to put it on the list.”

“I did, you pampered brat,” Jongdae replied, elbowing him lightly. “And if you want more than one bar you have to pay for it yourself.”

“Aw, please?” Sehun pouted and Jongdae swallowed his laugh.

“Ship rules, Sehun-ah,” he said as he turned, ignoring the burning gaze at his back. “You want more than rationed, you pay for it.”

He heard Sehun mutter a curse as he walked out of the room.

*********

Yixing handed Sehun back his daggers, his mind whirling. He didn’t think… he wasn’t sure what he thought. Nothing about this made sense.  _ Chen _ didn’t make sense. He was completely different from the stories and rumors Yixing had heard over the years about him, different from the man he’d met at the party, different from anything and anyone he’d ever known. What kind of person, he thought, was a pirate, a pirate of such high standing that everyone in the known world was afraid of him, and yet treated his crew like brothers, like friends, and seemed to not have a violent bone in his body - until you got him in a fight?

The contradictions were too much. It was like seeing two different people.

He slumped against the wall of the sparring room, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples to try and alleviate the headache he could feel coming on.

“Hey.” He cracked an eye open to see Sehun standing in front of him, arms crossed. “Here.” The taller vampire held out a bottle of blood. “You’ll need it.”

“Thank you.” Yixing tentatively took the bottle, popping the seal and taking a quick sip. The bitter tang hit his tongue and he winced before he swallowed. “May I ask you something?”

Sehun raised an eyebrow. “Sure,” he said.

Yixing blew out a breath. “What is that taste in the blood on this ship? That… bitterness.” He frowned. “It is quite unpleasant.”

Sehun snorted. “It’s a preservative,” he answered. “I don’t know exactly what. But it keeps the blood fresh.” He grinned. “Captain’s preference.”

“I see.” Yixing took another sip, trying to hide his grimace.

“Anyway.” Sehun turned away from him, pulling a cloth off one of the boxes and beginning to polish his blades. “Next rank is Nini and Chanyeol, if you want to keep sparring. If you don’t, go take a shift on oars. Baek probably needs a break.”

“I… Alright.” Yixing tucked his own dagger back into its sheath. “Thank you for sparring with me.”

“Whatever.” Sehun frowned down at the floor. “I lost, so I’m still lowest rank for fights.” He shrugged, twisting back to look at Yixing. “Where did you learn to fight like that, by the way?”

Bits of his early life flashed before Yixing’s eyes. The stream of tutors, the constant tests, the way he was made to be completely aware of his surroundings, the hours he spent training with the best soldiers his father could find, before he found Zhixiang.

“Here and there,” he said, watching Sehun’s face. “If you want,” he added, “we can spar together more often. A former instructor of mine once told me that the best way to learn is by teaching.”

Sehun’s expression was unreadable. Yixing waited for him to say something.

Finally, he turned all the way around, sliding his daggers back into their sheathes. “I help you, you help me,” he said, his face serious.

“Yes.”

Sehun exhaled. “Alright,” he said, extending his hand. “Sparring sessions once a day.”

“Agreed.” Yixing shook and chanced a small smile. To his surprise, Sehun smiled back.

He took Sehun’s advice and relieved the crew member on oars - Baekhyun, he remembered, Kai had said he was the first mate. Another oddity, he thought, once Baekhyun had gotten him into a rowing rhythm and then vanished with a grin. He was so friendly, so open, always ready with a laugh and a joke, constantly smiling - and the fact that his fangs were permanently extended didn’t subtract from his jovial air. It was strange. Nothing like he expected a pirate would be. That did seem to be the norm on this ship, though.

He rowed mindlessly for a few hours, his muscles burning with raw exertion for the first time in quite a while, and then Xiumin came into the oarsroom and told him to switch out. He did so, wandering up to the main deck to check on the rigging and fix any knots that he needed to fix, and when he found none he sighed and leaned against one of the masts, looking out over the water and breathing in the night.

The moon was waxing, showing more than a quarter but not quite full yet, and its reflection shimmered in the dark water. Yixing watched the waves for a moment, his eyes tracing the seafoam where the water lapped against the hull, and thought, not for the first time, that he really couldn’t believe this was his life. The peace, the quiet, the time to himself… the fact that he was truly  _ alone _ , with no one else shadowing him, constantly watching him… it was so foreign to him. And yet he couldn’t help the smile that crossed his face. For the first time in a century, he felt alive.

*********

Jongdae lost his place in the book he was reading for the umpteenth time. He sighed, flipping the book over and putting it facedown on his bed, resigning himself to giving up for the time being. He glanced around his cabin for something else to do, something else to keep his mind occupied, since reading clearly wasn’t working. 

He kept thinking of Yixing. And he knew that he shouldn’t be.

His eyes landed on the stack of papers that lived on the top left corner of his desk. If he went through them now, he could decide on a plan of action for after Oasis. Which he needed to do, he knew that, but… he wasn’t sure if he should plan for six or seven crew members.

_ Damn. _ And here he was, having come full circle yet again, thinking about Yixing. 

He leaned back, thunking his head against the wall, and exhaled heavily. Nothing was working to distract him, not even the prospect of solidifying a new target - which normally would snap him out of anything, his mind solely focused on that one task. 

He closed his eyes, attempting to concentrate on anything but the newest vampire on his ship. He managed to empty his thoughts for about a minute before the image of Yixing sparring with Sehun snuck back into prominence, the intensity in his gaze, the smooth lines of his body, the control and mastery of his fighting style.

He thunked his head against the wall again.

_ Fuck. _

Maybe walking around the ship would help, he thought, rather than sitting alone in his cabin with no one to talk to. Maybe that would be a better solution.

He ignored the little voice in the back of his head that was whispering to him about Yixing still being awake and swung himself off his bed, striding across his cabin and throwing the door open with a little more force than necessary, making the titanium-reinforced wood splinter as it crashed against the wall. He winced. Minseok was going to rip his throat out when he saw the damage.

That was a problem for later, though, so he stalked down the hallway and up the stairs, waving perfunctorily at Chanyeol, who was perched in the lookout’s nest, and then reached the back of the ship, where Kyungsoo was sitting with a hand on the rudder. 

“Hey, Soo,” he said, leaning on the railing and looking out at the dark waves. 

“Not you too,” Kyungsoo replied, making Jongdae shoot him a questioning look. He rolled his eyes. “Your elite was out here mooning over the water earlier. All but disappeared when Yeol and I came up to start our shift.”

“He’s not  _ mine _ ,” Jongdae mumbled.

Kyungsoo gave him a look.

“Anyway,” Jongdae said, pointedly ignoring him, “I was just checking in. How soon do you think we’ll make land?”

Kyungsoo shrugged. “Assuming Minseok’s calculations were correct, and we didn’t drift too far off course when Baekhyun was steering last night, tomorrow.”

“Good.” Jongdae clasped his hands behind his back. “I have an appointment with Kibum that I can’t afford to miss.”

“You have more riches than you know what to do with,” Kyungsoo countered. “I’m sure you can afford it.”

“Yah.” Jongdae swatted him, a grin unwillingly stretching across his face. “Don’t make bad jokes like that, leave them for Jinki.”

“Aye aye.” Kyungsoo gave him a perfect salute with a straight face, which lasted until Jongdae raised his eyebrows at him, at which point they both dissolved into laughter.

“Hey,” Jongdae said once they’d both calmed down. “Do you think I made the right call?”

Kyungsoo glanced at him. “With the prince?”

“No, with the moon,” Jongdae said sarcastically. “Yes, him.”

“Don’t sass me.” Kyungsoo locked the rudder into place and turned to face him. “I think you made a call. Whether it was right or wrong, I can’t tell you, but you did it. You made the call for a reason.” He crossed his arms. “And I think we all just have to see where it goes from here.”

Jongdae nodded, absorbing his words for a second. “I’m waiting until Oasis to offer him the contract.”

“You’re going to offer him one?” Kyungsoo’s eyebrows shot up.

“I think so.” Jongdae leaned back against the railing. “He gets along with the crew, he follows orders, and he’s a good fighter. You know he beat Sehunnie earlier?”

“Yeah, Chanyeol told me.” Kyungsoo drummed his fingers on the deck, thinking for a moment. “Have you considered that he might not sign?”

“Yes,” Jongdae said sharply, “I have.”

“Just making sure.” Kyungsoo turned back towards the rudder, eyeing the waves in front of them. “I don’t want you to be surprised or anything.”

“I know.” Jongdae laid a hand on his shoulder. “It’s not like that.”

Kyungsoo stiffened. “Are you sure?” he asked, his voice hard.

“I barely know him,” Jongdae responded. “It’s no loss to me if he doesn’t.” He tucked his hands into his pants pockets. “And I would appreciate it if you didn’t talk back to your captain.”

“Fine.” Kyungsoo huffed, running a hand through his hair. “One more thing.”

Jongdae looked over his shoulder at him.

“Be careful,” he said, his face full of concern. “I don’t want to see you hurt.”

Jongdae nodded, hiding his surprise at the words. “Thanks, Kyungsoo,” he said gruffly, before turning and walking away.

Talking with Kyungsoo hadn’t helped as much as he thought it would. Maybe that was his own fault, asking for another opinion on Yixing’s presence, but he’d wanted to know. Kyungsoo was the most level-headed member of their small crew (which wasn’t saying much, seeing as Baekhyun and Chanyeol were complete hotheaded idiots most of the time), and Jongdae appreciated his perspective on the workings of the ship and the multifaceted interpersonal relationships between the crew members. The fact that he had seen fit to warn him about Yixing was… unnerving, to say the least. But he was still reserving judgment on the prince. He wanted to see how he would react to Oasis. That would be the ultimate test, he thought. How would Yixing, raised his entire life surrounded by riches and the comfortable trappings of the vampire elite, react to the island port full of vampires and humans alike, of all ages and races and walks of life.

That was the main reason he was waiting until Oasis to offer the contract.

That and one other thing, his mind whispered, which Jongdae chose to shove back into the deepest recesses of his brain instead of continuing to think about it.

He glanced up at Chanyeol, who was swinging from the rigging underneath the lookout’s nest, shoulders straining as he pulled himself up the ropes. Idiot, he thought fondly, smirking to himself as he realized where Kyungsoo’s attention was now resting. 

Seeing Chanyeol doing his exercises on the ropes, however, made him realize that he hadn’t exercised in a few nights, and that if he wanted to keep his level of stamina and strength up for whatever he ended up deciding their next target would be, he needed to.

Chanyeol grinned at him when he clambered up the rigging. “Coming to get your ass kicked, Dae?”

“Nah, I just need to give these muscles some use.” He flexed, making Chanyeol roll his eyes. 

“Put your money where your mouth is,” he said, reaching up and pulling himself up to the next highest knot. 

Jongdae grinned as he rolled his sleeves up, exposing his arms to the night air. “Watch and learn.”

*********

Yixing was feeling restless. He had paced the length of his cabin so many times he figured he could maneuver it blindfolded. He’d practiced with his dagger, too, turning the hilt over and over until he knew where every groove, nick, and indent was, knew the most comfortable position to hold it, knew exactly how to shift his grip so he could strike from all different angles.

He sighed, sliding the dagger back into its sheath. He wanted to train, to try and use a different weapon, or even add a second dagger to have better range - he had felt so balanced yesterday, after disarming Sehun and using two daggers - but no one was around to spar, and he didn’t want to take any of the weapons he’d seen lying around without asking. 

Maybe walking around the ship would help. Looking out over the waves earlier had given him a sense of peace, feeling the weight continually being lifted off his shoulders, weight he didn’t even know he was carrying.

He poked his head out of his cabin. There was no one in the hallway, so he carefully stepped out, closing the door gently behind him, and made his way towards the stairs. It was getting easier to walk on the ship, the rolling motion of the boat no longer throwing him off every time he moved.

The wind hit his face as soon as he reached the deck, cool air whipping around him and ruffling his hair. He smiled, already feeling better, and then he heard a shout of laughter from above him. 

He glanced up, wondering what he would find, and then his eyes landed on the two figures swinging from the rigging and his mind shuddered to a stop.

Chanyeol said something, his words lost to the wind, and Yixing was struck dumb as Chen grinned, the bare skin of his arms gleaming under the faint starlight, his muscles defined and solid. The two of them kept moving, their paths criss-crossing as they started to make their way down the rigging. Yixing watched as Chen hauled himself up over a set of knots, the movement making his biceps bulge out, and oh god, nothing was fair in this cruel, unforgiving world. It wasn’t  _ fair _ that Chen was still, despite the whole being a pirate and stealing from the elite thing, the most beautiful man he’d ever seen.

Yixing swallowed heavily as Chen said something to Chanyeol before throwing his head back and laughing, his sharp jawline and high cheekbones thrown into greater focus by the moonlight. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from him as he continued to climb down. The play of muscles under his shirt, the way his lithe body moved, the surety and firmness of every handhold… Yixing felt warm all of a sudden. He remembered the way Chen had stood in front of him at the party, the feeling of wildness, like the way the air feels charged just before a storm. He remembered the intensity of his gaze, the way he’d smirked when making innuendo after innuendo, the heat of his breath and his body, how his eyes had darkened when they’d been alone on the balcony, the way his lips had curled up in a seductive smile when he’d asked him to beg.

Yixing blinked, trying to rid his mind of the thoughts that had just swept across it, but every flash of moonlit skin from the rigging sent him back down that rabbit hole, his entire body feeling tight and abnormally warm as his thoughts skittered across Chen’s body, his voice, the way he would look flushed with sweat and pleasure, the way he would sound as Yixing nipped at his skin, the way his hands would tighten in Yixing’s hair while he begged him to move, to keep going, to go faster, harder, to give him more - 

_ Fuck. _

He shook himself, tearing his eyes away from the rigging and staring out at the waves instead, trying to slow his breath and calm down. 

He felt his head clear the longer he looked at the ocean, but with the returning awareness came the realization that his body had reacted to the thoughts that had overrun his brain. He glanced around, hoping against hope that no one else on the ship had seen him, and exhaled when he saw Kyungsoo still carefully steering, head turned away from him. The only others on deck were Chen and Chanyeol, and Yixing studiously ignored them as he tried to will himself to relax.

It wasn’t working, not at all, and he could hear Baekhyun’s loud giggles emanating from the stairwell, and he’d only spent a couple of days around him but he  _ knew _ that if he was seen like this he’d never live it down. He quickly scanned his surroundings, trying to find something he could cover himself with until he got his body back under control, but there was nothing. Not even a spare piece of fabric for a sail. The deck was sparkling clean, completely tidied, and Yixing was getting more and more desperate. Chen and Chanyeol were dropping closer and closer to the deck, and Baekhyun’s voice was getting louder, and he could hear Kai’s deep laugh underneath it, and without another thought he whipped his loose linen shirt off and tied it around his waist, masking any sign of his body’s refusal to adhere to his restraint.

He knotted the sleeves, securing the shirt, and then rested his forearms on the ship’s railing, breathing a sigh of relief that he wouldn’t be caught in an uncompromising situation.

There was a thud from behind him.

“You good?” Chanyeol’s voice called, sounding concerned.

“Fine,” Chen replied, sounding slightly strangled. Yixing didn’t dare look back, lest his body betray him again.

Someone whistled appreciatively. “So this is what you’ve been hiding,” Baekhyun said, appearing at Yixing’s side and slinging an arm around his shoulders. “Honestly, I didn’t know elites could be this ripped. I thought they all just sat around gorging themselves on blood slaves and rolling in their dirty money.”

“Ha.” Yixing rubbed the back of his neck. “Not all of them.”

“I can see that.” Baekhyun shot him a grin before poking his shoulder muscle. “Hellcurrents, how strong are you?” 

“Strong enough,” Yixing replied, shrugging dismissively. “I have not had much chance lately to keep up my exercise regimen.”

Baekhyun whistled again. “You keep a regimen?” He looked begrudgingly impressed. “You and Seokie should compare notes; where is he?”

“Last I saw, still on oars,” Chanyeol said, walking towards them, Chen trailing behind him. “I would be afraid of what the two of them would come up with, though.”

“Krakenshit, you’re right,” Baekhyun said, pulling a face. “Never mind, don’t talk to Seokie, I don’t need any extra exercise in my life.”

Yixing chuckled. “Judging by your lack of muscles, you do indeed.”

Baekhyun gasped dramatically, putting a hand to his chest and staggering back a step. “The insult,” he cried, “I have been wronged! Chanyeol, avenge me!”

Chanyeol waved a hand in the air, too busy laughing so hard he was doubled over to respond.

Yixing just crossed his arms and grinned. 

“Nice,” Chen said, stepping up to his side, his voice low. Yixing felt a ripple of tension run across his spine. “I haven’t seen anyone make Chanyeol speechless since Sehun made that terrible joke about partying.”

“Do I even want to know?” Yixing glanced sideways at him, his gaze trailing across Chen’s profile, the curls at the end of his lips, the sharpness of his cheekbones.

“Not particularly,” Chen responded, smiling slightly. “I’m sure you’ll hear the story eventually.” He paused, seemingly about to say something else, and then shut his mouth, turning back towards Chanyeol and Baekhyun, who were now both laughing extremely hard, holding onto each other for strength. “Yah, you two idiots,” he called, making them both straighten, still giggling. “Go make yourselves useful. This ship doesn’t run herself.”

“Aye aye,” Baekhyun said, mock saluting before again dissolving into laughter. 

“Oh, stuff a sail in it,” Chen said, walking back towards the wheel and whacking both of them upside the head.

Yixing watched him go, admiring the way the shadows ran across his skin, the way his body moved as he walked across the deck, the way - 

“Lay,” Chanyeol said, making him startle.

“Yes?”

“I think Chen and I loosened some of the knots in the rigging,” he continued, seemingly fighting a smile. “Want to come fix them with me?”

“Seeing as the rigging is my job, yes,” Yixing said. “Forgive me if I make a mistake on any of the knots; my hands are not yet used to this type of dexterity.”

“Not to worry,” Chanyeol replied. “I am sure you will be fine.”

Something in the timbre of his voice rang a bell in the back of Yixing’s mind, but he couldn’t pin the thought down. Shrugging off the slight unease, he followed Chanyeol over to the ropes.

*********

Jongdae was still reeling.

Of all the things to happen to him, he thought, hands clenched so tight on the wheel his knuckles were white and the wood was creaking, inviting a stupidly handsome elite who just so happened to be the prince onto his ship and having him accept was by far the worst. He couldn’t concentrate on anything, not while stupidly perfect Yixing with his stupidly perfect body was still on deck, hunched over the rigging with Chanyeol, his gorgeously muscled back extremely visible in the moonlight.

Jongdae forced his gaze back to the waves. He needed to focus, to make sure they would hit Oasis tomorrow, so he had to navigate. And not watch the way Yixing’s muscles rippled as he hauled himself up the rigging to fix a knot that had come undone under Chanyeol’s foot.

“Krakenshit,” he mumbled, staring up at the stars. They twinkled mockingly at him, and he frowned as he studied the visible constellations, turning the wheel to the left. The ship had drifted slightly too far east.

Once he’d corrected the course, a boom of laughter from Chanyeol’s direction caught his attention. He looked over to see Chanyeol sling an arm around Yixing’s bare shoulders, grinning at him, and Yixing smiled back at him, giving Jongdae another glimpse of the dimple on his left cheek. 

_ Fuck _ , he was attractive. And judging by his interactions with the rest of the crew, he seemed to be getting along with them just fine (aside from Kyungsoo, but Jongdae knew Kyungsoo and his ironclad heart almost too well, and his warning, while seemingly pointed, had also been a reminder about the rest of the crew), which gave Jongdae even more of an incentive to offer him the contract. The last time his crew had welcomed a newcomer so readily, it had been Sehun, and Jongdae had offered him the contract the minute their ruse in the farmlands had ended and they had safely made it back to the coast. 

Yixing was different. Jongdae knew that - and he wanted to offer him the contract anyway, wanted it more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life. He wanted him to accept it, to accept him, to stay on the  _ Thunderstorm _ and add his intellect and strength to their collective knowledge, to help them restore what semblance of balance they could to the world. 

But he didn’t know if Yixing would sign.

He didn’t know if he would stay, would link himself to a new way of life so soon after leaving the elite prison behind. Jongdae had seen the way he’d looked when he stepped outside that mansion, when he beheld the open ocean stretching out in front of him. It screamed of freedom, of release, of independence and opportunity. And he knew that feeling all too well. He knew that if someone tried to tie him down immediately after he’d had his first taste of freedom, he’d fight back with all he had, kicking and screaming and refusing to go.

He blinked. His thoughts were trailing down a dangerous path, one he didn’t want to be thinking about.

He glanced over at the rigging once more, just to check on Chanyeol, the clumsy idiot, only to get a glimpse of intricate black ink trailing up Yixing’s left side as he leaned over to loop a knot.

Jongdae groaned. He was sinking faster than a dropped anchor - the vampire had a  _ tattoo _ . It was like the universe had conjured him solely to spite Jongdae.

He needed to get off the deck. If he didn’t, he would soon be in an extremely uncompromising position, and he did not need a repeat of what had happened at that bar in Ullala.

He ran a hand through his hair, casually looking around to see Kyungsoo still at the rudder, Baekhyun washing the back corner of the deck (which made Jongdae smirk because the seagulls seemed to love shitting on that side of the ship), and Chanyeol and Yixing still fixing the rigging, Yixing still shirtless, his tattoo (which on closer inspection looked to be an elaborate dragon stretching up his ribs, extending all the way down his side, the dragon’s bottom half covered by Yixing’s linen pants) rippling as he worked, and Jongdae needed to not be here. He needed to be elsewhere. Immediately.

He signaled to Kyungsoo as he headed for the stairs, Kyungsoo raising his eyebrows and nodding back at him. 

Maybe Minseok would take pity on him and let him row for a few hours, he thought. Something, anything, to rid himself of the way he was feeling.

Minseok wasn’t there, his shift seemingly having ended, but he swapped out with Jongin, who was looking drowsy yet again even though it wasn’t that close to sunrise, and rowed long enough that he was still there when Kyungsoo and Sehun came down for their shift.

“You’re still here?” Kyungsoo asked, raising his eyebrows.

Jongdae shrugged. 

“Minseok was looking for you,” Sehun added, sounding bored. “And before you ask, I don’t know why.”

“Shouldn’t it be my job to be looking for crew members?” Jongdae grumbled, slowing the oars. “He’s probably going to complain to me about Jongin messing up his supplies.”

Sehun rolled his eyes. “You mean his ‘organizational system’?”

“Don’t joke about that,” Kyungsoo said, giving Sehun a look as he sat down at the far oar. “You know how he gets.”

Sehun pouted, exchanging places with Jongdae and starting to row. 

“I’ll go find him,” Jongdae said, stretching his arms behind his back and smirking when both of his shoulders cracked. “Have a good shift.”

Neither of them responded verbally, already focused on rowing in time, and Jongdae smiled to himself before he turned and walked out of the oarsroom.

Unsurprisingly, he found Minseok in the hold, muttering to himself as he rearranged things. “Boo,” he said, leaning against a trunk that (he thought) contained some of Sehun’s spare clothing.

“Oh, there you are.” Minseok didn’t look over, just shifted another pile of ropes. “I saw land before sunrise,” he added, making Jongdae’s eyebrows raise. “We’ll reach Oasis today.”

“Good,” Jongdae replied, crossing his arms. “When we make land, I’m divvying up tasks. Do you want Jongin or Sehun?”

Minseok blinked before turning to face him. “Are you really going to pair us off again?”

“After what happened the last time,” Jongdae said stonily, “yes.”

Minseok sighed. “Fine. I’ll take Sehun, the little anchorhead.”

“Done.” Jongdae glanced around the hold. “Was that the only reason you were looking for me?”

“Mhm.” Minseok smirked. “I also heard from a rather tall birdie about your, uh, shall we say, distraction earlier.”

“I’m gonna  _ murder _ him,” Jongdae muttered. Looking back at the glimmer in Minseok’s eyes, he shook his finger at him. “Don’t you say a WORD.”

That, of course, made him start laughing. “Wouldn’t dream of it,” he chuckled.

“For Poseidon’s sake,” Jongdae grumbled. “I hate you so much.”

“Love you too, Chennie.”

“Shut up.”

After heading to the sparring room and sufficiently whooping Chanyeol’s ass, Jongdae retreated into his cabin to organize himself for the trip into Oasis proper. He downed a bottle of blood he’d pulled from the bloodspace earlier, changed his clothes, rearranged the stack of maps on his table, tucked the bag of jewels for Kibum more securely into his travel pack, and folded and refolded the inventory list so it would be small enough to slide into a pocket but not small enough to drop. He scribbled a few notes into his ledger, recording where they’d been and how long it had taken them to travel, as well as crew adjustments and tasks completed. He smirked to himself as he wrote down that Sehun had been bested by their passenger in a sparring session. 

The thought jolted him back into the present, worrying about his crew, wondering what would happen if Yixing refused the contract to join them, what would happen when the elite prince laid eyes on Oasis for the first time.

He sighed, closing the ledger, right as the ship shuddered, meaning she’d crossed the sandbar that had caused many a wreck in decades past. They were here.

Jongdae double checked his travel pack once more, making certain the bag of jewels and his money clip were secure, and then he tucked his ledger into his breast pocket and stood from his chair, making his way back up to the deck.

Baekhyun skidded to a stop next to him. “Dae, the side of the ship  _ might  _ need some repainting, I think Sehun angled us too far over so we might have scraped the sandbar,” he said, before dashing back across the deck to the sails, where he wrapped one of the ties around his hand and yanked, pulling the sail back across so it was settled pointing eastward. Jongdae grimaced as he watched Chanyeol swing himself down the rigging and signal to Minseok, who nodded at Kyungsoo before following Chanyeol and jumping off the side of the ship so they could get to their lookout nooks and help guide them around ocean-level obstacles. He hated beaching, but last he knew Oasis still hadn’t gotten around to building more than one dock in the harbor, and unless he was supremely lucky and no one else had claimed the spot, they’d have to beach the ship. 

“How we looking, Soo?” he asked, grimacing as he jogged up to the wheel. “Normal spot by the inlet?”

Kyungsoo nodded. “Might need another coat of paint,” he said. “We definitely scraped the sandbar, and with the beaching as well…” 

Jongdae sighed. “Baekhyun mentioned that, but I’m not surprised.” He made to say something else when Minseok landed on deck, dripping ocean water but grinning like a maniac.

“The dock spot is open,” Minseok crowed. “The ship that was there is leaving!”

Jongdae gaped at him for a second before he felt a grin split his face. “Let’s go, then,” he thundered. “Full power. Tell Sehun and Jongin.”

“Full power?” Kyungsoo glanced at him as Minseok disappeared back over the railing. “Yeol said he didn’t spot any other ships earlier.”

“Please.” Jongdae raised his eyebrows at him. “For all we know, the  _ Monsta  _ could be out there right now, waiting to slip in first. Or the  _ Shawol _ , if Kibum is waiting on a shipment.” He crossed his arms. “And don’t forget that time at Miyinah, when both the  _ Lady _ and that human ship beat us to a dock spot because Sehun was playing peek-a-boo with the  _ Chaser _ .”

“The  _ Chaser _ had those trenchsent mirrors, though,” Kyungsoo responded. “That wasn’t entirely his fault.” He tilted his head, scanning the horizon. “Still don’t understand why Hyojin named her ship  _ Lady _ . Anchorheaded name for a boat.”

“Don’t say that anywhere she could hear you.”

“No shit,” Kyungsoo deadpanned. “I don’t have guppies for brains, thank you very much.”

“Just checking.” Jongdae grinned. “I got the wheel. Go.”

Kyungsoo sighed. “Fine. Full power. I’ll go row with the babies.”

He mock saluted before walking away, adjusting one of the smaller sails before vanishing down the stairs. 

Jongdae placed his hands on the wheel and squinted towards the fast-growing land mass. He could just make out the edges of the dock, and he shifted, turning the ship slightly to the left, aiming directly for the outline. “Yeol!” he shouted, and when the ship’s hull shuddered again, a muted thud echoing through his ears as Chanyeol struck the side of the ship, indicating he was ready, he grinned. “Go!”

The ship shot forward, aided by Chanyeol and Minseok shoving her along and the extra power with Kyungsoo on oars, the night wind blasting in his face. Jongdae kept his hands locked on the wheel, keeping their path as straight as an arrow. Baekhyun whooped from his spot in the rigging, the sound of his voice torn away from them by the wind. Oasis grew bigger and bigger, and Jongdae couldn’t stop his smile growing as more and more of the town came into focus. 

“Pull up!” he yelled, the dock growing clearer, and the ship trembled, losing more than half her speed as Baekhyun threw the sails out, the fabric rippling with the strength of the wind. Chanyeol hoisted himself back onto the deck, shoving his wet hair out of his face, and leaned over the starboard side, signaling to Minseok. The  _ Thunderstorm  _ slowed even more, and Jongdae spun the wheel, angling the prow of the boat towards the sole berth. 

Chanyeol turned. “A little to the right, Dae,” he called. “You’re gonna sideswipe.”

Jongdae shot him a thumbs up and turned the wheel again. The ship slid between the two arms of the dock and came to a halt, the gentle waves of the harbor lapping against the side.

Jongdae exhaled. Minseok yanked himself over the railing and back on deck a moment later, then, to Jongdae’s complete shock, reached over the railing and pulled Yixing up behind him. “Good work, Lay,” he said, clapping Yixing on the shoulder. Yixing smiled, the dimple in his left cheek making yet another appearance, and Jongdae felt like he’d been punched in the stomach.

“Looks like we needed the extra pair of eyes,” joked Chanyeol, inclining his head and elbowing Yixing.

“It was not any trouble,” Yixing responded, rubbing the back of his neck and smiling at the two of them.

Jongdae blinked for a second before clapping his hands, making the members of his crew glance over at him. Sehun, Jongin, and Kyungsoo appeared from the stairwell and joined them, looking at Jongdae and waiting for him to speak.

“We have errands to run,” Jongdae said, pulling out his lists. “I’m not planning on spending more than one night here, we have to keep moving. Everyone needs to be back on the ship by five.” He glared at Chanyeol, who grimaced.

“Kyungsoo and Jongin, you’re doing half of stockup. Blood, weapons, anything we need for repairs.” He tossed Jongin their list. “Minseok, take Sehun and do the other half of stock. Fabrics, clothes, soap, anything else you know we need. Do  _ not _ go overboard.” He shot Sehun a look as he tossed their list to them. “Baekhyun, take Chanyeol with you for soundbites.” He locked eyes with his first mate. “You know what to do.”

“Can I take Lay too?” Baekhyun asked, grinning. “He might be able to help.”

Jongdae sighed. “Sure, I don’t see why not. Keep yourselves out of trouble.”

“I never do,” Baekhyun retorted, grinning even harder. Jongdae rolled his eyes.

“I’m going to Kibum’s, I’ll meet all of you back on the ship.” He clapped his hands again. “Get going, anchorheads.”

The crew dispersed, jumping off the ship and heading in different directions. Jongdae watched as Baekhyun and Chanyeol each threw an arm around Yixing’s shoulders before heading towards the pubs. He shook his head, hoping they wouldn’t do anything too stupid, before tucking his hands in his pockets and strolling in the direction of Kibum’s shop.

**********

“Not to sound thickheaded,” Yixing began, glancing at the two vampires walking on either side of him, “but what exactly are we doing?”

Baekhyun grinned, his fangs gleaming in the darkness. “Soundbiting,” he said. “Plus showing you around.”

“Kelpbrain, he does not know what soundbiting is,” Chanyeol interjected, whacking Baekhyun upside the head. 

Baekhyun rolled his eyes at him. “I knew that, anchorhead,” he retorted. “Anyway.” He smiled at Yixing again, who’d been looking between them bewilderedly. “Soundbiting is our name for gossip and rumors. Chennie likes to know what’s being said about him.” He ran a hand through his dark hair. “And sometimes we hear things about potential targets, too.”

“Baekhyunnie never stops talking, you see,” Chanyeol added. “It makes him a useful gossipmonger.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Baekhyun fired back, “it’s because I’m charming and witty.” He struck a pose, making Chanyeol choke out a laugh. “And I know how to use my body.”

The implication clicked in Yixing’s brain a second later, and his eyes widened involuntarily. “You mean to tell me,” he said slowly, “that you…” He paused. 

Chanyeol snorted. “He is not a whore, if that is what you are thinking.”

Yixing nodded, not quite sure what to say.

“It is easier to show you, rather than explain,” Chanyeol continued, smiling at him in a way that he could only describe as understanding. “Baek?”

Baekhyun ran a hand through his hair again. “Let’s go,” he said, gesturing to a building with a faded red door and a wooden sign that read ‘ _ The Eve _ ’ in thick block lettering. “Level one.” He locked eyes with Chanyeol and then grinned, flashing his fangs again. “Watch and learn, Lay,” he said before striding over and throwing the door open, giving Yixing a glimpse of a lively bar before it swung shut behind him. 

“Are we not going in as well?” he asked, looking curiously at Chanyeol. 

“In a few minutes,” the taller vampire responded, beckoning him over to a side street and leaning against a wall. Yixing joined him, arms crossed across his chest. “Level one means Baekhyun does most of the work,” Chanyeol explained. “He draws the attention, and whoever is with him floats quietly among the crowd to listen. So we must enter separately, as to not be seen together. Thus the waiting.”

“I see.” Yixing glanced sideways at him. “Are there additional levels as well?”

Chanyeol nodded. “We will most likely get up to four.”

Yixing hummed in acknowledgement, drumming his fingers against his arm. When the silence stretched for another minute, he sighed, seeing no easy way to broach the topic he’d been wondering about. “If I may ask,” he began, shifting to more fully face Chanyeol, “how long have you been a member of the crew?”

The other vampire blew out a breath. “For about a decade,” he said, crossing his arms to mirror Yixing’s posture. “My family was - uptight, but they understood that I needed to lead a different life, a life away from them. They agreed to let me leave, and if any of them ever noticed that I left at the same time an acquaintance of ours was pirated by the  _ Thunderstorm _ , they have not spoken a word. I keep in touch with them when I can, and Chen gives me leave to visit whenever the ship is in close proximity to them.”

It made sense. Yixing nodded, a few things about the conversations aboard the  _ Thunderstorm _ becoming clear to him retrospectively. “The rhythm with which you speak,” he said carefully, watching Chanyeol’s face freeze. “It is… unusual.”

“Yes,” he responded stiffly. “I have heard that said before.”

The look on his face confirmed Yixing’s suspicion, but he decided not to pry. Whatever reason the other vampire had for leaving the elite, he was sure it was valid - and it was Chanyeol’s business, and Chanyeol’s secret. He had no need to know, not after Chanyeol had instantly recognized him that first night and then promptly dropped the topic, only referring to him as Lay and never once acknowledging his prior status as a royal elite.

“No matter,” Yixing said, shooting him a quick smile. “I just thought to comment on it.”

Chanyeol’s shoulders relaxed. “It is alright.” He looked back at the door to  _ The Eve _ . “It should be time to join Baekhyun in there.” He pushed himself off the wall, motioning for Yixing to do the same. “For level one, all we need to do is listen. That means no speaking unnecessarily, no engaging in conversations with patrons, no commotions.” He smiled, jerking his head at the door. “Let us go find soundbites.”

Yixing nodded, exhaling sharply to try and get rid of the nerves he suddenly felt jumping in his throat, and followed him out of the alley and into the bar.

He was immediately assaulted by a thousand different smells, the scent of spilled beer and sharp whiskey and some sort of meat stew combining with the sweet, heady aromas of many types of fresh blood, coming at him from all directions. He felt his fangs extending involuntarily, his throat immediately drying out as he inhaled as deeply as he could.

A hand clamped down on his shoulder, preventing him from taking another step towards the group of humans surrounding a table to his right. “Krakenshit, I forgot,” Chanyeol murmured from behind him, his voice oddly muted like he was talking through a wall of water. “When was the last time you fed?”

Yixing didn’t answer him, instead turning his head to sniff at a light, almost flowery bloodscent that seemed to be coming from a slim man near the back of the room. It was enticing, almost as intoxicating as the lusciously deep jasmine scent that was emanating from a woman by the bar. 

“Lay,” Chanyeol said, squeezing his shoulder. He didn’t respond, just inhaled deeply again, feeling the rush of all the different bloodscents melding together. He licked his lips, feeling the point of his fangs press into his lower lip, and wondered which scent he should taste first.

“Lay.” The sound of his code name wormed its way into his ear. He ignored it, choosing to try the jasmine of the woman first. She was rather pretty, with some curves, and he could tell she’d been bitten before by the pale, slender scar he could just make out on her neck. He could also tell she would like it rough, that the slight tang of pain would only increase her pleasure tenfold, and the intensity in her gaze spoke miles of how the flavor of her blood would explode on his tongue.

“ _ Yixing. _ ” The hiss of his real name, his birth name, made him stop. He blinked. The hand on his shoulder tightened again, holding him back from - something. He glanced down at himself, noted how his hands were clenched, his body straining, the dryness in his throat roaring.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol said again, lowly, almost too quietly for him to hear. “Do not let it take control.”

He blinked again, swallowed, and unclenched his hands. The fog in his mind was clearing, the thirst slowly returning to a dull, manageable ache.

“You did not warn me,” he mumbled, turning to look at the other vampire, who, to his credit, looked rather ashamed. “This place is crawling with humans.”

“It… slipped my mind,” Chanyeol admitted. “The intermingling of humans is so commonplace here. It did not occur to me that you would need a forewarning, because I am used to the feeling, despite knowing that you have never been in such a situation as this.” He inclined his head, his face apologetic. “I do beg forgiveness.”

Yixing let the tension leave his shoulders. “I understand,” he said slowly. “But… how?” He glanced around, being extremely careful not to inhale again. “You said this… mingling, of sorts, is commonplace?”

Chanyeol nodded. “Only here. Oasis is rather special in that regard.” He jerked his head towards the barkeep, who gestured at two open spots when he noticed them looking. “Let us get a drink. This is better explained once you have fed a little.”

Yixing followed him, sitting at the open stool in a daze. He’d almost lost control, almost let the haze of bloodlust consume him, almost proven that he was no better than the rest of the elite that he so despised. Chanyeol slid him a glass, the liquid inside an odd sort of rust color, and he drained half without even thinking. The sweet tang of blood-infused alcohol hit his tongue and he felt the ache in his throat recede even further.

“Careful with that,” Chanyeol said when he took another large gulp. “Maxim’s drinks are strong.” The barkeep raised an empty glass in their direction and then turned a tap, filling it with a dark beer before handing it to Chanyeol, who slid him a silver piece in return.

Yixing swirled his drink, focusing on the way the liquid lapped at his glass, before glancing back at Chanyeol. “I will be fine,” he said, ignoring the way his fangs were still throbbing.

The taller vampire raised an eyebrow before taking a sip of his beer. “Then, to answer your question,” he began, “Oasis is… a haven of sorts. A place where anyone can come and know that they will be welcomed, no questions asked.” He put his beer down and laced his fingers together, leaning slightly forward. “And I do mean anyone. The island is open to everyone, regardless of rank or species.” 

Yixing put his glass down as well, the blood in the alcohol suddenly tasting like dust in his mouth as he processed the implications. “So…” He scanned the room, noting that Baekhyun was sitting at a crowded table, glass in hand, telling what seemed to be a rousing story, making everyone around him explode into laughter - and he saw that those surrounding him were both vampires and humans. “Vampires and humans coexist here.”

Chanyeol nodded. “Surprising as it may seem, yes. Along with others.”

“Peacefully?” 

Chanyeol nodded again, his eyes on Yixing’s face. Yixing didn’t respond, his mind whirring with the possibilities. He’d always thought it was impossible, but here - here was an answer to the constant battles, the bloodshed, the hatred and the animosity. He’d never… he never imagined something like this could exist, exist in reality, outside of his wildest, innermost dreams.

“How?” he breathed, taking in the room again, feeling the lack of tension, the lack of distrust, and starting to smile with the lightness of it.

“Most who come here are tired of the fighting,” Chanyeol began quietly, leaning in as to not be overheard. “They are tired of being treated as lesser, as a thing rather than a being, as worthless. Here, on Oasis, they can make a living, a name for themselves, without prejudice and without violence.” He glanced at a group of humans laughing at a table close to the one that Baekhyun was still standing at. “There is a sort of symbiotic relationship, here, with the humans. They donate their blood, and in return, this island is safe, protected from outside forces.”

Yixing blinked. That idea, of forming a bond with groups of humans, strong enough that they would willingly provide blood, had never once occurred to him, not in all his years of pondering. It made complete sense, and he couldn’t believe he’d never thought of something like it.

“Incredible,” he said, looking around the room with new eyes. 

When he didn’t say anything else, Chanyeol cleared his throat. “Well,” he said, “we should float and listen; I would not want to leave Baekhyun high and dry.”

Yixing nodded, downing the rest of his drink. He wanted to explore, to wander among these people, who had made a mixed society work, and experience it for himself.

“Come.” Chanyeol extended a hand to him and he took it, letting himself be pulled back into the throngs of people in the bar.

*********

The tiny bell that hung over the door gave a cheerful jingle as Jongdae stepped inside Kibum’s shop and was immediately assaulted by a multitude of colors. He blinked, letting his eyes adjust to the harsh light, and smiled to himself as he glanced around. “Anything new and unusual, hyung?” he called.

“Chennie!” Kibum’s head popped out from the back room. “I thought that might have been you.” He grinned. “Give me a second.”

Jongdae crossed his arms, leaning against the shop counter and let his gaze run over a few of the elaborately embroidered jackets and bejeweled accessories on display while he waited.

“What d’you got for me?” Kibum said, walking out of the back round and smiling at him. “Not that I don’t appreciate the social call, but I know you.” He grinned, his fangs razor-sharp in the artificial light. “Gold? Silver? Some silks?”

Jongdae huffed a quiet laugh. “Actually,” he said, pulling out the bag of jewels from his travel pack, “I have a little bit of everything.” He tossed the bag to Kibum, who caught it with a look of professional interest. “Take a look.”

Kibum upended the bag on the counter, and Jongdae watched as the gems spilled out.

“Up to your standards of quality?” he asked after a moment, studying Kibum as he ran his hands over the multitude of jewels.

“Yes,” Kibum breathed, examining a brooch. “The quality…” He trailed off, picking up a thin silver bracelet and letting the metal drape over his fingers. “I’ve only ever seen this in true elite circles,” he murmured, before looking up at Jongdae sharply. “Are these elite?”

Jongdae inclined his head, a smile playing on his lips. “You understand why I brought them directly to you,” he replied.

Kibum’s eyes widened a fraction, and Jongdae saw them flash yellow as he returned his attention to the pile of jewelry. “An excellent addition,” he mumbled, lightly pushing the gems around. “Such fine make… and the variety of stones…” 

Jongdae cleared his throat after a couple of minutes, making Kibum glance up, almost startled. “There is the question of payment, then, as you’re clearly satisfied.”

“Ah, yes.” Kibum took one more lingering look at the pile before sweeping them back into the bag and tucking it behind the counter. “I will give you five chests for the lot.”

“Five?” Jongdae’s eyebrows rose. “And here I was, thinking you’d give me a fair price. I will take fifteen.”

“Now I know you’re insane,” Kibum said, smiling at him. “Despite the fine make and the respectable quantity, that is too high a price. Seven.”

“Fourteen, then.” Jongdae glared.

“Eight and a half.” Kibum’s face was unmoving, but Jongdae could tell that his smile now held an edge.

“Don’t insult me.” Jongdae crossed his arms and leaned forward, his eyes intent on Kibum’s. “You know as well as I do that these are true elite pieces. That alone raises their value. And you must take into account the trouble I went through to get them.” He tilted his head. “Stolen directly under Huang’s nose, from a party held at his manor.”

Kibum’s eyes were now fully yellow, and he inhaled sharply at Jongdae’s words. “Fine,” he said after a moment, blowing out a breath. Jongdae could have sworn the air held a hint of smoke. “Eleven. Take it or leave it.”

“Done,” he responded, and extended his hand. They shook.

“Send two to the ship and the rest to Luxion,” Jongdae said as he put his hands back into his pockets and headed for the door. “Lyria will know who they’re for.”

“Can do, Chennie,” Kibum said, his voice cheery again. “Thanks for stopping by.”

“Any time.” Jongdae turned and shot him a fierce grin. “Say hi to Jonghyun for me,” he added, waving, before walking out of the shop, the bell tinkling behind him.

He strolled down the street, hands in his pockets, casually keeping an eye out for anyone who could have seen him leave Kibum’s shop, before he ducked into the dark alley he’d been looking for and rapped twice on the emerald door. 

He waited, hands clenching the fabric of his jacket, before the hinges creaked and the door opened a hair. 

“Oh, it’s you,” came a deep voice from the darkness behind it. 

“Kyunnie, don’t be rude to our guest,” a second voice called. “Let the pirate in.”

Jongdae suppressed a shiver as the first voice sighed and the door swung open, revealing the unsmiling face of Kihyun’s assistant, who beckoned him forward. Jongdae stepped inside, forcing himself to remain relaxed, but he couldn’t help the way his shoulders tensed when the door clicked shut behind him, plunging the room into perfect darkness.

A candle flickered into life, and then a second, and a third. Jongdae shoved his hands farther into his pockets, ignoring the instinct that was screaming at him to run, and rolled his eyes. “Come on, Kihyun,” he said, “enough with the dramatics. I’m here to buy.”

“You are no fun,” the second voice complained, and then there was a whoosh of fire from the candles that illuminated the entire room, making Jongdae take a wary step back.

“Well?” Kihyun tilted his head, the outline of his body becoming clearer and clearer as Jongdae blinked the spots from his vision. “What do you need?”

Finally. Jongdae grimaced at him. “Gunpowder, and maybe a couple of new throwing daggers.”

“Mm.” Kihyun drummed his fingers on a chest to his left. He jerked his head and his assistant vanished. “Anything else?”

Jongdae met his eyes, steeling himself. “What do you have to offer?”

Kihyun paused, raising his eyebrows. “Oh?” He leaned forward, ignoring the question. “You seem… thrown, somehow.” 

Jongdae clenched his jaw.

“But then again, wouldn’t anyone be a little shocked,” Kihyun mused, his black eyes glittering, “if the newest member of their crew turned out to be royalty.”

Jongdae felt like his entire body had turned to stone. He knew Kihyun dealt in secrets, in information, and he had expected him to know details about his recent raid, but not  _ that _ particular detail. 

“I’m sure his father would be interested to know that his only son and proclaimed heir had shacked up with the captain of the most notorious ship on the ocean,” Kihyun continued, smirking at him.

Jongdae shot forward, whipping out his dagger and pressing it to Kihyun’s neck, wrapping his other hand around the man’s wrists. “I wouldn’t say another word,” he murmured, flexing his wrist and watching the metal of his blade flash in the candlelight. 

Kihyun, incredibly, just smiled. “What a temper you have,” he said, chuckling lightly. “Please, lower your weapon, so we may continue this conversation in a civilized manner.”

That, more than anything, unnerved Jongdae. “And what if I don’t?” he said lowly.

“That would be unwise,” Kihyun replied, still smiling. Jongdae felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and looked around. A pair of glowing red eyes blinked back at him from the darkness at the back of the shop, and they most decidedly did not look friendly.

He slowly lowered his dagger, stepping away from Kihyun and tucking the weapon back into its sheath, shoulders tensing even more as the red eyes faded from sight. 

Kihyun’s assistant reappeared, holding a small chest made of teakwood. He extended it to Jongdae, who took it, surprised at its heft.

“That should be everything you need,” Kihyun said, again signaling to his assistant. 

Jongdae nodded, his mind still reeling. He balanced the chest on his hip and pulled out the diamond bracelet he’d stolen from that female while they danced, tossing it over. Kihyun snatched it out of the air, almost too fast for Jongdae to see.

“What’s this for?” he asked, tucking it into a pocket. “Your payment has already been procured.”

“Your silence would be much appreciated,” Jongdae said through his teeth.

Kihyun cocked his head. “Understood.” He smiled, his dark eyes unreadable. “Pleasure doing business with you.”

“And you,” Jongdae replied, ignoring the chill that went up his spine as he locked eyes with the man once more, and then turned and followed Kihyun’s assistant back out the door.

This time, when the door clicked shut behind him, he felt a wave of relief wash over him.

He headed back to the ship, grinning when he met Minseok and Sehun on the main street, Minseok laden with packages and Sehun strolling at his side, not a box to be seen.

“Successful?” he asked, falling into step with them.

“What do you think?” Minseok grumbled, shifting the boxes in his arms to elbow him. “Seeing as I’m suddenly a pack rat.”

Jongdae chuckled. “All I see is that Sehunnie wiggled his way out of carrying anything.”

“Little krakenshit,” Minseok mumbled, shooting Sehun a glare. “Did you make out okay?”

“Mm.” Jongdae shifted the chest in his arms. “Better than expected, to be honest.” He smirked. “Eleven.”

Minseok’s eyes widened. “You got the dragon to give up  _ that _ much?”

“Yah, don’t call him that, you know he hates it,” Jongdae replied, softly elbowing him. “Besides, considering the lengths I went to for that haul, it’s well worth it.”

“Fair,” Minseok said. “But come on, Dae, you know the way Kibummie acts whenever he sees something shiny.”

Jongdae rolled his eyes, chuckling lightly at the look on Minseok’s face. “I do indeed.”

The three of them rounded the corner, and Sehun waved at two familiar figures walking towards the ship from the opposite direction. “Did you get my dagger polish?” he called, jogging towards them.

“Of course, you needy brat,” Kyungsoo replied, shoving a can into Sehun’s arms. 

“That’s coming out of your pay,” Jongdae called, grinning as Sehun whirled around, already pouting. “Don’t pout at me, no one else needed it and  _ you _ specifically requested it.”

Sehun closed his mouth and slumped forward, making Jongin choke back a laugh. 

“Come on, let’s put the haul away.” Jongdae jerked his head towards the ship.

“And then we’ll have to go drag Chanyeol and Baekhyun out of the bars,” Minseok said.

“Now that, I’ll enjoy,” Kyungsoo replied, smirking. 

Jongdae let a smile spread across his face.

The main street of Oasis’s town center was as lively as ever, bars and taverns lit up, people occasionally spilling out of their doors, laughing loudly. The night air was fresh, the scent of the ocean mingling pleasantly with the ever-present tinge of human blood and grilled meat. Jongdae inhaled deeply, letting the familiar calm spread through him, and smiled to himself. 

“There,” Minseok said, interrupting the moment of quiet as he gestured toward the bar a block in front of them. “They always end up there.”

Jongdae glanced up at the sign as they approached. “The ‘ _ Black Pearl _ ’, huh.” The sounds of raucous laughter and cheering floated out from the doorway.

He sighed. “Let’s go.”

Sehun pulled the door open, illuminating the street with light, and the four of them filed in. Jongdae’s nose was immediately assaulted with the stench of sweat, alcohol, and whatever food the tavern was serving, undercut by the ever-present sweetness of the blood pounding through the humans’ veins. He swallowed, feeling his throat begin to itch, and looked around for his crew members.

He immediately spotted Baekhyun, leaning against the far wall and sipping from a glass, surrounded by giggling women and a few interested men, his white linen shirt unbuttoned, fangs poking out as he smiled. Jongdae huffed a laugh to himself as he began to make his way through the crowd. Trust Baekhyun to have charmed the pants off quite a number of people.

He reached the edge of Baekhyun’s gaggle, and stood there, arms crossed, waiting for his first mate to take notice of him. Baekhyun finished the story he was telling, causing a ripple of laughter (and more than a few sighs as he swallowed the last of his drink), and then glanced up and caught Jongdae’s eye. “Ah, my partner in crime!” Pushing himself off the wall, he grinned around at his admirers. “I must beg your leave,” he said, sweeping them a bow before sliding through two women and throwing his arm around Jongdae’s shoulders. 

“You seem to have done well for yourself,” Jongdae commented as they strolled away, elbowing Baekhyun in the ribs. 

“Shut your mouth.” Baekhyun elbowed him right back. “I’m assuming you haven’t done too badly either.”

“Nah.” Jongdae smirked at him. “Kibum gave me eleven.”

“Really?” Baekhyun gasped. “That’s incredible!” He gaped at Jongdae for a second. “You  _ know _ he never gives up that much, it would dent his savings.”

“Please.” Jongdae raised an eyebrow. “He knew the value of what I gave him, plus the circumstances of acquiring the jewels… it all added up.”

“Still.” Baekhyun gave a low whistle. “I swear, half the dragon’s hoard is from you.”

“Come on, Baekkie, you know he hates being called that.”

Baekhyun shrugged. “He has dragon’s blood; it’s just the truth.”

“Whatever.” Jongdae rolled his eyes. “Where are the others?”

“Heyyyyy, capitaine,” Chanyeol said as he appeared out of the crowd, trailed by an extremely amused Kyungsoo and a grinning Sehun. “Did not expect to see you here!” He slung his arms around Jongdae and Baekhyun, making them both stumble a little to readjust for Chanyeol’s weight. “Are you buying?”

“No, you lumbering octopus,” Jongdae replied, laughing a little, “we’re leaving.”

“Told you,” Kyungsoo added, sounding quite smug.

“Sure, sure,” Chanyeol mumbled, waving a hand in Kyungsoo’s direction. 

Jongdae grinned, before glancing around the crowded room. “Where’s-”

“There you are,” Jongin gasped, interrupting him as he shoved through another group, Minseok close behind him. “It is  _ ridiculous _ in here.”

Baekhyun shrugged. “Best drinks in town, you can’t expect it to be empty.”

Minseok glanced at him. “Does that mean you’re buying a round?”

“Hey, why not. We don’t have to leave just yet.” Baekhyun grinned at them before ducking out from under Chanyeol’s arm and weaving them a path to the bar. “A round for my friends here,” he proclaimed, and the barkeep scanned their group for a moment before whirling back to the shelves, her hands flying as she produced clean glasses out of nowhere and began pouring.

“Speaking of friends,” Jongdae said quietly, leaning against the bar and accepting his glass from the barkeep, “where’s Lay?”

A smirk spread across Baekhyun’s face. “Looking for loverboy, hm?”

Jongdae didn’t dignify that with a response, just reached out and smacked his arm.

“Ow.” 

At Jongdae’s raised eyebrows, Baekhyun held up his hands. “Okay, okay, calm your sails.” He searched the crowded room for a moment before smirking even harder than before. “He’s over there.”

Jongdae followed Baekhyun’s gaze to the other side of the room, where a small group of minstrels were playing, and felt his mouth fall open.

He downed the rest of his drink in one swallow and stood, ignoring Baekhyun saying “I’ll get everyone back to the ship,” and shrugging off Jongin’s questions as he stalked towards the minstrels’ corner, weaving through the crowd with singular purpose. He slid between two patrons who were chattering about some fabrics shop or whatnot, and found himself directly in front of the minstrels, at the edge of a small open space that was currently occupied by none other than the prince himself, dancing with two giggling ladies and a smiling man.

Jongdae crossed his arms, his eyes tracking Yixing’s every move. Which, in retrospect, was a very bad idea, because the prince was an  _ excellent  _ dancer, every move pristine and sharp, his body twining around his partners with exceptional grace. His hair was slightly mussed, his eyes were bright with laughter, and the neckline of his shirt hung open in a deep V, giving Jongdae flashes of smooth skin and taut chest muscles every time he turned. The man Yixing was dancing with said something that was lost to the music, but it made Yixing laugh, and Jongdae caught sight of the dimple in his cheek - and in that moment he gave up pretending to be unaffected.

The minstrels changed tempo, the prior song smoothly flowing into the new one, and two of Yixing’s three partners broke off, giving Jongdae an opening.

“Mind if I steal my friend away for a drink?” he asked, resting a hand on Yixing’s shoulder and quirking an eyebrow at the remaining woman. 

Yixing’s eyes met his for a moment before he reached for the woman’s hand, quickly pressing a kiss to the back. “I thank you for the dance,” he said, smiling apologetically, and then he turned and pulled Jongdae away from her, back into the crowd surrounding the bar.

“I am surprised to see you here,” he said, taking one of Jongdae’s hands as he began to move through groups of people. “Thought you would still be out completing your errands.”

Jongdae matched his steps, trying not to let the feel of Yixing’s fingers laced with his distract him. “Errands are done,” he replied. “I came to drag the three of you out.”

“Ah, so I see.” Yixing glanced at him before fixing his gaze on a point somewhere over Jongdae’s shoulder. “This is a very interesting settlement.”

“Interesting in what way?”

“I believe you know.” Yixing exhaled heavily. “I did not think a settlement such as this could ever exist.”

“And yet here it is,” Jongdae said. He followed Yixing through another clump of people and gratefully claimed a spot at the bar, signaling to the barkeep when she glanced his way, and flipping her a couple of silvers when she slid two drinks to them. 

“And yet here it is,” Yixing repeated, raising his drink in a slight toast before taking a sip. “Chanyeol explained it to me,” he added, looking contemplative. “The ingenuity… the cooperation… it is beyond anything I could have dreamed.” He smiled, resting his elbow against the bar. “It pleases me greatly to know that Oasis exists and is prosperous.”

“Good to know.” Jongdae swallowed, letting his gaze flit away from Yixing’s face. “I’m glad you feel that way,” he continued. “Many others of… your persuasion, shall we say, would not agree.”

A hint of anger crossed Yixing’s features. “And they are more foolish for it,” he said, frowning. “This… this is what the world should look like, not full of bloodshed and treachery and falsehoods as it is.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Jongdae raised his glass and clinked it against Yixing’s own before draining it. “Let’s go.”

Yixing only blinked once before finishing his drink as well. They stood, weaving their way towards the door, and once they made it outside Jongdae felt his shoulders relax once more. “Walk with me,” he said, jerking his head in the direction of the docks. 

They walked in silence for a minute, the night air gently blowing around them. Jongdae glanced back at the shops, noting their distance, and once he was satisfied that no one would overhear them, he walked to the side of the road, clasped his hands behind his back, and waited.

“The view is beautiful,” Yixing said quietly from his side. “The moonlight on the water, the light of the shops… I can understand why the island is named what it is.”

Jongdae hummed in agreement, and let the silence between them stretch for another moment before he broke it.

“Have you decided?”

There was a sharp intake of breath. “I…”

“It does not matter to me which option you take,” Jongdae said, keeping his gaze on the shadowy outline of his ship and lying through his teeth. “But the time has come.” He turned to Yixing, momentarily struck dumb by the way the moonlight illuminated his face. “Will you stay here, on Oasis, and make your own life, or will you join me on the  _ Thunderstorm _ ?”

Something flashed in Yixing’s eyes as he looked out over the ocean.

“This place is peaceful,” he commented. “Beautiful, quiet, with none of the conflict and power games I have been privy to over the last two hundred years. It would be a wonderful thing to make a life here.”

Jongdae’s stomach sank. 

Yixing turned towards him. “I will come with you,” he said quietly.

The world stopped. “Y-you… what?”

“I will come with you,” Yixing repeated, the hint of a smile beginning to break across his face.

Jongdae blinked at him for a second while the words permeated his brain. “Truly?” he breathed.

“Yes,” Yixing said, his smile growing.

Jongdae stared at him for a few more seconds before breaking into a smile of his own. “Well then,” he said, extending his hand, “you’d better continue to keep up.”

“I do not think you have to worry about that,” Yixing replied, clasping his hand and shaking, as if sealing the deal. 

“Good.” Jongdae grinned at him, some last, missing piece of the puzzle of his life shifting into place. “Then let’s get back to the ship…  _ Lay _ .”

They hurried back, Jongdae feeling lighter than ever, and when they leaped onto the deck he saw Yixing’s shoulders lose the last bit of their tension.

Jongdae clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Welcome to the crew of the  _ Thunderstorm _ .”

*********

“Report.” The vampire at the head of the table slammed a hand down. “Bring me something, Jiang.”

“U-unfortunately, Your Majesty,” stuttered the vampire who had just entered the room, “there is no trace of him, nor the intruder.”

“UNACCEPTABLE!” 

The entire room shook with the force behind the word.

“ **Find him.** ”

Bowing and scraping, the vampire backed out of the room, away from those deadly red eyes.

Once the door had shut behind him, a figure cloaked in red stepped out from the shadows.

“I  _ told _ you,” he hissed. “I told you that bastard had him.”

The king sighed, the red slowly fading from his gaze. “I must confess, I did not believe you at first, Jaehwan.”

“I know.” He swept the red hood from his head, revealing sharp features flickering with anger in the candlelight. “But you  _ must _ listen to me now. Chen has Yixing. I have no doubts.”

The king’s fists clenched. “Stealing my son from  _ my house _ ,” he growled. “The nerve. The impudence.”

“You see?” Jaehwan leaned forward. “He must be punished.”

The room was silent for a moment, before the king nodded. “Rally your followers,” he said. “Summon your lords. We will stop at nothing until Yixing is returned to us.”

“And we will  **kill** Chen and his crew,” Jaehwan added, his fangs extending as he grinned darkly at the king. “For their crimes are punishable by death.”

The king smiled back. “That they are.” He cleared his throat. “Mei!” 

A woman slid into the room. “Yes, my liege?”

The king sat in the gilded chair at the end of the table. “Bring Yifan, Han, and Junmyeon to me, along with Zhixiang and the generals.” 

The woman nodded and bowed.

The king’s face dropped into a scowl, his own fangs visible as he frowned. “This is war.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi~  
this was literally supposed to be 10k and here it is sitting at 18k..... this is Fine  
anyways i'm sorry the second part took forever i've been super busy and yknow covid and whatnot  
but i hope you all enjoy the second installment of this vampirate adventure! i will try my best to get the third part out in less time than it took me to write the second part...... maybe. we'll see.  
thank you guys for reading~  
♥

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](https://yixingminseokjongdae.tumblr.com) | [twitter](https://twitter.com/allforexot9) | [cc](https://curiouscat.me/moon_goddess)


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